December 27, 2018
Fourfold increase in expenditure on medicines under Trinamool
In the last financial year (FY), that is, 2017-18, the Trinamool Congress Government spent Rs 650 crore on medicines and Rs 500 crore on medical instruments and implants. Therefore, a total of Rs 1,150 crore was spent under these two heads combined.
Compare this to the last year of the Left Front Government, that is, 2010-11, when only Rs 250 crore was spent under these two heads – Rs 150 crore on the former and Rs 100 crore on the former.
Thus, the Trinamool Government’s expenditure has exceeded the Left Front Government’s spending by more than four times. This is the result of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s belief that a healthy population is essential to the growth and development of a superior nation. It may be mentioned that Mamata Banerjee is also the Health Minister of the State.
According to Health Department officials, in the current financial year, that is, 2018-19, the number could even touch Rs 1,500 crore.
The Health Department’s spend on these heads has been increasing year by year. Data from the last few financial years would suffice – the combined spend was Rs 650 crore in FY 2015-16 and Rs 680 crore in 2016-17, which increased by more than one-and-a-half times the next financial year.
Source: Bartaman
