Budget reaction: Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance

The FY22 Budget is in line to support the recovery of the Indian economy while keeping the overall policy stability and fiscal discipline in perspective. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented time and has brought importance to healthcare in India. The focus on healthcare infrastructure in FY22 Budget is a positive step towards growth with a 137 per cent increase in allocation to the sector at Rs 2,23,846 crore. The allocation of Rs 64k crore (over six years) on the PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojna will help boost the healthcare infrastructure across primary, secondary and tertiary care and the vaccination programme is well-funded with over Rs 35,000 it will help the country address the pandemic. All these initiatives are pointers to increased investment in healthcare infrastructure and will strengthen the sector going forward.