Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on August 3, 2021, said that overall improvement of health infrastructure will help build confidence of the people in the infrastructure and also help in the revival of the economy. The Finance Minister said this while addressing the webinar on “Building Healthcare Infrastructure for New India” here. Dr Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad, Minister of State for Finance, also participated at the webinar.
Sitharaman stated that the country must address not only the short-term challenges but also ensure resilience of our economy and Infrastructure Development that are the key to achieving these twin objectives. The Finance Minister said it is very encouraging to have industry stakeholders to be part of a discussion on the Loan Guarantee Scheme for Covid-affected Sectors (LGSCAS) that the Government launched with great trust in the industry, according to a PIB release.
Sitharaman said that second wave of Covid-19 pandemic sharply brought the need to focus and strengthen our medical and healthcare infrastructure so that we emerge stronger from any such healthcare crisis. She said the Government is reviving a pandemic affected recovery in the context of possible 3rd wave of Covid-19 pandemic and assured that the Government is doing everything it can to increase vaccination as it is the only most sure shot protection against Covid-19.
On the efforts to prevent the 3rd wave of Covid-19, Sitharaman said that all of us have to make an effort on the lines of the motto of this Government said by Prime Minister Narendra Modi –SabkaSaath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and SabkaPrayaas – and only then we can expect to emerge stronger out of this crisis.
The Finance Minister emphasised that the most important support to healthcare infrastructure is to ramp up capacities, technology, better facilities, and above all ramp up up trained manpower for optimally utilising the healthcare infrastructure.
Earlier at the Webinar, Debashish Panda, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, gave an outline of the Loan Guarantee Scheme for COVID-affected Sectors (LGSCAS) scheme to all the participants.
V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, emphasised the need and equitable distribution of healthcare facilities so that access to healthcare is easily available in Tier-2, Tier-3 and Tier-4 cities.
Expressing his happiness on LGSCAS, Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, said that it aims at non-Metro cities which require strengthening of healthcare services and facilities. The LGSCAS will become a path-breaking scheme as it can be collaborated and it can work in conjunction with other ongoing interventions in the healthcare sector.
During the Webinar, over 100 stakeholders from healthcare industry and banks highlighted the importance of strengthening the Indian healthcare ecosystem specifically targeting underserved areas.