The government should increase public expenditure in the new national health policy from the current 2.5 per cent of GDP to at least 3.5-4 per cent, a Congress member demanded today.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Rajeev Shukla said India's public health expenditure is next to Bangladesh and Pakistan, while Sri Lanka and China spend higher.
"So the government should set right the National Health Policy. Nothing will happen with 2.5 per cent. It should be minimum 3.5 and 4 per cent," he said.
Higher public health funds are needed as government hospitals are in bad shape and private treatment has become a costly affair. That apart, more people are living below the poverty line and cannot afford treatment, he said.
Pramod Tiwari (Cong) asked the government to protect 'Awadh' language spoken in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand by more than 3 crore people.
He urged that government to include 'Awadh' in the 8th scheduled of the Constitution.
K K Ragesh (CPI-M) demanded that the government should not privatise PSUs in Kerala, but revive them instead.
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