Delhi Budget may have allocation for free vaccine shots at govt hospitals

The Budget is slated to be presented in the Assembly session starting Monday

The Delhi Budget 2021-22, to be presented in the Assembly session starting Monday, is expected to have a special allocation for free COVID-19 vaccination at Delhi government hospitals, sources said.

The budget is also likely to have proposals to open 'Sainik Schools' in Delhi and promote yoga at a widescale in the city, they said.

Vaccination is currently underway in Delhi at 192 hospitals, including 56 run by the Delhi government, for people aged 60 years and above and those in the age group of 45-59 years having comorbidities.

"The government is expected to allocate funds for free vaccines to all people in the third phase of vaccination at its hospitals in Delhi, " said a government source.

Currently, vaccination at government hospitals is free for elderly and those with comorbidities, while Rs 250 is being charged at private hospitals.

The government is also expected to share its plan to increase Delhi's per capita income to the level of Singapore by 2047, in the budget, the sources said.

"The master plan of the Kejriwal government will focus on economic reforms and fundamental changes in trade and industries to effect a rise in per capita income so that it equals that of Singapore by 2047," they said.

The government is also expected to outline measures in the budget to simplify the trade and business processes and make them more user-friendly in the future, they said.

The Delhi government is working on a plan for taking yoga to the masses in Delhi. The government intends to popularise yoga through extensive campaign in residential areas of the city, the sources said.

Besides this, the government is likely to share its plan to celebrate 75th Independence Day in 2022 through various programmes, including installing of high mast tricolour like one at Connaught Place, across the city, they added.

The budget session will commence with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal's address to the House at 11 am on Monday. It will be followed by presentation of Economy Survey of Delhi (2020-21) by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

The Outcome Budget of the Delhi government for 2020-21 will also be tabled in the House by Sisodia, who is also the finance minister of the government.

BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri alleged that the AAP government has curtailed the Question Hour in the budget session to evade questions from opposition legislators.

He demanded the government to hold a session giving proper time to the MLAs to ask questions.