Govt to provide Rs 5 lakh medical cover per year via flagship scheme

During Union Budget 2018 announcment, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launched a  flagship National Health Protection Scheme - providing medical cover to nearly 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. 

Jaitley says, they will provide up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year in secondary and tertiary care institutions. 

According to Jaitley, there will be 50 crore beneficiaries from this scheme. 

Jaitley said,"This will be the world's largest government-funded health care programme."

For health care "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah", "Sarve Santu Nir-Aamayaah" (May All become Happy, May All be Free from Illness.) and Flagship National Health Health Protection schemes will be launched. 

The ministry commits Rs 1,200 crore for this flagship programme, and has invited contributions from the private sector. 

Apart from this, the ministry has proposed to launch the Revitalising of Infrastructure and Systems of Education (RISE) by next year. 

"Tuberculosis claims more lives every year than any other infectious disease. It affects mainly the poor and malnourished. My government has decided to allocate Rs600 crore to provide nutritional support to all TB patient at the rate of Rs500 per month for the duration of their treatment," Jaitley said. 

The government would ensure that at least 1 medical college for every three parliamentary constituencies and at least 1 government college in each state of the country.