Budget 2025: All government hospitals to get daycare cancer centers
What's the story
In a major healthcare announcement, the Indian government has unveiled plans to set up daycare cancer centers in all district hospitals across the country over the next three years.
Presenting the 2025-26 Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the first phase of the project will see 200 such facilities set up within the fiscal year 2025-26.
Worker welfare
Healthcare benefits for gig workers under PM-JAY
Along with the cancer care initiative, Sitharaman also announced that healthcare facilities will be extended to gig workers under the PM Jan Aarogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
The measure is expected to benefit nearly 10 million workers across India.
The finance minister also detailed plans to expand medical education in India.
"In the next year, 10,000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals toward the goal of adding 75,000 seats in the next five years," Sitharaman said.
Medical education
Expansion of medical education: 10,000 new seats in 2025
"Our government has added almost 1.1 lakh undergraduate and postgraduate medical education seats in 10 years, an increase of 130 per cent."
"In the next year, 10,000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals towards the goal of adding 75,000 seats in the next five years," she said.
Digital access
Broadband connectivity for schools, healthcare centers
Sitharaman also revealed plans to provide broadband connectivity to all government secondary schools and primary healthcare centers.
She announced five National Centres of Excellence for skilling to equip youth and promised global partnerships to position India as a key player in global manufacturing.
Further, Sitharaman said infrastructure will be expanded in IITs set up after 2015, allowing for 6,500 more students across five IITs.