Delhi govt reduces health budget over One thousand crores, allocates Rs 8,685 cr only

The Delhi government allocated Rs 8,685 crore for the health sector in its annual budget for 2024-25 announced on Monday. The government has slashed the health budget this time by 1057 crores compared to the last year of health budget which was total Rs 9,742 crore for the financial year 2023-24. Presenting the budget in the Delhi Assembly, Finance Minister Atishi said the city’s healthcare system in the last nine years under the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation has moved from a state of ‘majboori se majbooti’ (helplessness to strength) and ‘nirasha se vishwas’ (despair to faith).

The minister presented the Delhi budget 2024-25 with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore, and said the government is trying to realise the dream of ‘Ram Rajya’.  “It is a matter of misfortune for our country that we are far away from this vision. Till 2014, even Delhi government-run hospitals were in a very bad state,” the minister said.  Sharing details about budgetary allocation for the health sector, the minister said, “For financial year 2024-25, I propose a budgetary outlay of Rs 8,685 crore for health sector.” She also spoke about how the national capital has changed in the last 10 years under the Aam Aadmi Party-led government.

In her address in the assembly, she also said that there are 38 hospitals under the Delhi government where daily more than 81,000 OPD patients and per month over 65,000 IPD patients are treated free of cost. In 2014-15, there were 9,523 beds at hospitals and the number rose to 13,708 for the 2024-25 period, she said, adding that about 1.5 times patients are now being given health care. She also said that OPD counter timings have increased, data entry operators have been employed, and in line with international standards, cleanliness and other services were implemented in a new way.

At present, there are 380 CATS ambulances and the average response time, from 55 minutes has reduce to 15 minutes, in the last 10 years. On Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics, she she said there are 530 AAMCs at present in line with Ram Rajya vision, and daily 64,000 people are getting free medicines, treatment and tests done, adding over 7 crore OPD visits have happened at these clinics since their inception.