ECONOMIC SURVEY 08-09

Health

30. Turning to the health sector, I propose to allocate Rs.16,534 crore for the sector (including NER). This will mark an increase of 15 per cent over the allocation in 2007-08.

National Rural Health Mission

31. The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) is the key instrument of intervention by the Central Government. The goal is to establish a fully functional, community owned, decentralised health delivery system. 462,000 Associated Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and link workers have been trained and are in place. 177,924 Village Health and Sanitation Committees are functional. 323 district hospitals have been taken up for upgradation. Ambitious goals have been set for 2008-09, and I propose to increase the allocation for NRHM to Rs.12,050 crore .

HIV/AIDS

32. The National Aids Control Programme will be provided Rs.993 crore. Studies have shown that the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS has come down from 0.9 per cent to 0.36 per cent, which is a matter of some satisfaction.

Polio

33. The drive to eradicate polio continues with a revised strategy and a focus on the high risk districts in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. I propose to provide Rs.1,042 crore in 2008-09 for this purpose.

Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana

34. Two major interventions are planned to be started in 2008-09. The first is the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana that will provide a health cover of Rs.30,000 for every worker in the unorganised sector falling under the BPL category and his/her family. I am happy to report that most of the States have agreed to join the Yojana and it will be launched in Delhi and in the States of Haryana and Rajasthan on April 1, 2008. I propose to provide Rs.205 crore as the Centre's share of the premia in 2008-09.

National Programme for the Elderly

35. The other major intervention will be for the elderly. A National Programme for the Elderly with a Plan outlay of Rs.400 crore will be started in 2008-09. Among other measures, we will establish, during the Eleventh Plan period, two National Institutes of Ageing, eight regional centres, and a department for geriatric medical care in one medical college/tertiary level hospital in each State.

Integrated Child Development Services

36. The universalization of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is underway. At the end of December 2007, 5,959 ICDS projects and 932,000 Anganwadi and mini-Anganwadi centres were functional. The beneficiary count had increased to 629 lakh children and 132 lakh pregnant and lactating mothers. I propose to enhance the allocation for ICDS from Rs.5,293 crore in 2007-08 to Rs.6,300 crore in 2008-09.

37. I am also happy to announce that the remuneration of Anganwadi workers will be increased from Rs.1,000 per month to Rs.1,500 per month. Likewise, the remuneration of Anganwadi Helpers will be increased from Rs.500 per month to Rs.750 per month. Over 18 lakh Anganwadi workers and helpers will benefit from the increase.

Flagship Programmes

38. As Honourable Members are aware, there are eight flagship programmes of the UPA Government. I have dealt with two in the education sector (SSA & MMS) and two in the health sector (NRHM & ICDS). Let me now refer to the allocations that I propose to make for the other four flagship programmes:

• The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) will be rolled out to all 596 rural districts in India. Initially, we will provide Rs.16,000 crore. Let there be no apprehension in anyone's mind: as demand rises, more money will be provided to meet the legal guarantee of employment.

• The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) is the main vehicle for improving urban infrastructure. It has also succeeded in driving reforms in urban governance and urban-related laws. I propose to increase the allocation from Rs.5,482 crore in 2007-08 to Rs.6,866 crore in 2008-09.

• The goal of the Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water Mission is to supply safe drinking water to uncovered habitations and slipped back habitations as well as to address issues of quality. I propose to enhance the allocation to Rs.7,300 crore in 2008-09 as against Rs.6,500 crore in 2007-08.

The Mission does not yet have a separate component for school children in water-deficient habitations. Our children should have good, clean drinking water. Hence, I propose to allocate funds to the Mission under a separate sub-head in order to install a standalone system to provide potable water to each school in water-deficient habitations. The cost of each system, depending on the technology and design, is estimated to be between Rs.15,000 to Rs.30,000. While a detailed plan for four years will be drawn up, I propose to make an initial allocation of Rs.200 crore in 2008-09.

• The Total Sanitation Campaign is all about changing habits and mindsets, and it is a continuous process. I propose to provide Rs.1,200 crore in 2008-09.

REFERENCE: http://indiabudget.nic.in/ub2008-09/bs/speecha.htm