“This is a commendable Budget with all the right intentions. It has several announcements that can be a gamechanger for the Indian economy and society in the years ahead. Three major provisions have been announced – direct income support to 12 crore farmers, pension scheme for poor workers in the unorganized sector, and full income tax rebate till an income of Rs 5 lakhs. These, along with the prevailing low inflation rate, will increase liquidity with the middle and poorer sections of the society in both rural and urban areas. It will leave people with more money to spend on basic necessities of life such as food and healthcare. The ongoing Swachh Bharat Mission, 98% sanitation coverage in rural areas, and schemes like Ayushman Bharat and free LPG connections are positively impacting healthcare parameters of the society. It is heartening that the Government has declared a “Healthy India” as part of its future vision for the country. Its stated goal of working towards a distress-free healthcare system and a functional and comprehensive wellness system for all Indians is welcome. I however feel that the Government should have taken some positive steps towards increasing the public healthcare expenditure as percentage of GDP from beyond a mere 1%, and announced some incentives to enable the spread of modern healthcare system and hospitals beyond the cities to smaller towns and villages. The Government should have also reduced import duty on implants to make joint replacements affordable to the masses.”