Jan Swasthya Abhiyan Rajasthan: Health Budget 2021-22: Tall Promises, Inadequate Allocations

The state budget for Rajasthan for the fiscal year 2021-22 announced by the Chief Minister, Sh. Ashok Gehlot, on 24th February 2021 had a range of announcements related to health but fell short in allocating enough budgets to meet those promises. The Chief Minister mentioned about implementing ‘Rajasthan Model of Public Health’ but did not explain what it really entails leaving everyone clueless. He also mentioned of bringing about the much awaited ‘Right to Health Bill’ which is definitely a welcome announcement but again he neither made any budget provision for it nor did he suggest any timeline for its launch. He discussed how the public health insurance scheme (Mahatma Gandhi Rajasthan Swasthya Bima Yojana) will be expanded to cover the entire population of the state next year onwards which would require the govt. to spend about Rs. 3500 crores, but this is something for the next year and we will have to wait to see when this actually happens.