Pre-Budget Meeting: Health and Education Focus

Health and education experts met with Union Finance Minister  to discuss several pressing issues ahead of the budget announcement.

Cancer Care Equipment

• Customs Duty Reduction: Experts emphasized the importance of reducing customs duty on imported radiation machines like linear accelerators, as they are crucial for cancer care and not available domestically.
• Expansion of Cancer Care: Discussions included expanding cancer care services to regional areas, though medical education was not discussed.

National Education Policy (NEP), 2020

• Implementation: Experts urged the government to expedite NEP 2020 implementation, focusing on vocational education and teacher training, especially in Anganwadis.
• Technology in Education: Leveraging technology, artificial intelligence, and digital education to increase the gross enrollment ratio and raise education allocations was discussed.

Health and Research Initiatives

• Health Expenditure: Increasing health spending and research on non-communicable diseases was emphasized by attendees from various departments.