Sat Feb 01 09:01:04 UTC 2025: ## India’s Budget 2024: Relief for Cancer Patients, Boost for Healthcare Infrastructure

**New Delhi** – Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a significant healthcare boost in her eighth budget presentation today, focusing on affordability and accessibility. A key highlight is the complete exemption of basic customs duty (BCD) on 36 life-saving drugs, primarily targeting cancer and rare disease patients. This exemption also extends to bulk drugs used in their manufacture. Furthermore, six additional life-saving medicines will receive a concessional 5% customs duty. These exemptions apply to medicines provided free of cost under pharmaceutical company Patient Assistance Programs.

The budget also includes plans to significantly expand healthcare infrastructure. The government aims to establish daycare cancer centers in all district hospitals within the next three years, with 200 slated for 2025-26. An additional 10,000 medical college and hospital seats will be created next year, contributing to a five-year goal of 75,000 new seats.

Promoting medical tourism under the “Heal in India” initiative is another key component, with plans for collaboration with the private sector, streamlined visa processes, and capacity building. The government will also extend healthcare coverage under PM Jan Aarogya Yojana (PM-JAY) to approximately 1 crore gig workers. These measures collectively signal a major commitment to improving India’s healthcare system and making essential medicines more accessible to its citizens.

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