A public health network has urged the Union government to double its annual health outlay, saying the Centre has reneged on its 2017 pledge to raise public health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025. This requires the Centre’s health allocation to increase to about ₹3,50,000 crore from roughly ₹1,00,000 crore in 2025-26. India’s low public spending on health also stands out in international comparisons. The group said the health and education cess — introduced in 2018-19 as an additional 4 per cent levy on income tax — has failed to supplement public health spending. Excluding the cess, Union health allocations declined by about 22 per cent in real terms between 2020–21 and 2023–24, the group said.

Source: The Telegraph January 29, 2026 05:27 UTC