Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2021 on February 1 in most extraordinary circumstances. The world is under the grip of the worst health crisis since the outbreak of Spanish Flu of 1918 and the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression of 1930s. Tackling the twin crises will take some extraordinary measures in the eighth Budget of the Narendra Modi government.

India is among of the hardest hit nations by the crises. The lessons learnt in the current financial year will be crucial for the country’s emergence as a global economic powerhouse. Here are some suggestions for the finance minister as she prepares the Budget proposals for the healthcare sector. These suggestions may not require huge expenditure, but they will go a long way in improving the delivery of health services.

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