Government Initiatives

Some of the major initiatives taken by the Government of India to promote the Indian healthcare industry are as follows:

• In the Union Budget 2023-24:
  • Under the Union Budget 2023-24, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been allocated Rs. 89,155 crore (US$ 10.76 billion), an increase of 3.43% compared to Rs. 86,200.65 crore (US$ 10.4 billion) in 2021-22.
  • Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) was allocated Rs. 3,365 crore (US$ 0.41 billion)
  • Human Resources for Health and Medical Education was allotted Rs. 6,500 crore (US$ 780 million).
  • National Health Mission was allotted Rs. 29,085 crore (US$ 3.51 billion).
  • Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) was allotted Rs. 7,200 crore (US$ 870 million).
  • Rs. 5,156 crore (US$ 675.72 million) was allocated to the newly announced PM-ABHIM to strengthen India’s health infrastructure and improve the country’s primary, secondary and tertiary care services.
• In July 2022, the World Bank approved a US$ 1 billion loan towards India's Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.
• In order to promote medical tourism in the country, the government of India is extending the e-medical visa facility to the citizens of 156 countries.
• In May 2022, the Union Government approved grants for five new medical colleges in Gujarat with a grant of Rs. 190 crore (US$ 23.78 million) each. These colleges will come up in Navsari, Porbandar, Rajpipla, Godhra and Morbi.
• In November 2021, the Government of India, the Government of Meghalaya and the World Bank signed a US$ 40-million health project for the state of Meghalaya. Project will improve the quality of health services and strengthen the state’s capacity to handle future health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
• In September 2021, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. The mission will connect the digital health solutions of hospitals across the country with each other. Under this, every citizen will now get a digital health ID and their health record will be digitally protected.
• In September 2021, the Telangana government, in a joint initiative with World Economic Forum, NITI Aayog and HealthNet Global (Apollo Hospitals), launched ‘Medicine from the Sky’ project. The project will pave the way for drone delivery of life saving medicines and jabs in far-flung regions of the country.
• According to a spokesperson, the Indian government is planning to introduce a credit incentive programme worth Rs. 500 billion (US$ 6.8 billion) to boost the country’s healthcare infrastructure. The programme will allow firms to leverage the fund to expand hospital capacity or medical supplies with the government acting as a guarantor and strengthen COVID-19-related health infrastructure in smaller towns.
• In July 2021, the Ministry of Tourism established the ‘National Medical & Wellness Tourism Board’ to promote the medical and wellness tourism in India.
• In July 2021, the Union Cabinet approved continuation of the National Ayush Mission, responsible for the development of traditional medicines in India, as a centrally sponsored scheme until 2026.
• In July 2021, the Union Cabinet approved the MoU between India and Denmark on cooperation in health and medicine. The agreement will focus on joint initiatives and technology development in the health sector, with the aim of improving public health status of the population of both countries.
• In June 2021, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in partnership with UNICEF, held a capacity building workshop for media professionals and health correspondents in Northeastern states on the current COVID-19 situation in India, to bust myths regarding COVID-19 vaccines & vaccination and reinforce the importance of COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour (CAB).