Amid ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance and planning department, on Monday presented the annual budget for 2021-22 with an estimated revenue deficit Rs 10,226 crore and fiscal deficit of Rs 66,641 crore. Pawar, however, hopes to mop up Rs 1,800 crore through his tax proposals.
In the annual budget 2021-22, the revenue collection is estimated at Rs 3,68,987 crore and revenue expenditure at Rs 3,79,213 crore. The revenue deficit is pegged at Rs 10,226 crore.
An outlay of Rs. 2,961 crore is proposed to the Public Health Department for Scheme expenditure and Rs 5,994.28 crore for committed expenditure. An allocation of Rs 1,517 crore is proposed to the Medical Education Department for Scheme expenditure and Rs 4,024.63 crore for committed expenditure.
A project costing about Rs 7500 crore has been prepared to provide quality health care and treatment to the people by constructing and upgrading health institutions under the Public Health Department and it will be completed in the next four years. The proposal includes construction of district hospital, psychiatric, trauma care center, primary health center and sub-center, upgrading and construction of taluka level hospital.
It has been decided to set up new government medical colleges at Sinnhudurg, Osmanabad, Nashik, Raigad and Satara. Medical colleges will also be set up at Parbhani and Amravati. Due to upgradation of government medical colleges in the state and the newly established government colleges will increase the number of seats by 1,990 at the degree level, 1,000 at the post-graduate level and 200 by specialists.
Cancer diagnosis facilities will be set up at 150 hospitals.
11 government nursing schools affiliated to government medical colleges in the state will be converted into nursing colleges. Also, in phases, physiotherapy and occupational therapy colleges will be established in all 17 government medical colleges.
Post-COVID Counseling and Treatment Centers will be set up at every district hospital and government medical college in urban areas.