More funds for social sector in Budget: Pain points & what's on offer

Pain points
 

> Even after a 13 per cent increase in the education budget, the share of education expenditure as a proportion of GDP stayed low at 0.37 per cent. As a share of total expenditure, education accounts for 2.5 per cent

> Health performance has been worse, as the country is expected to spend only 0.3 per cent of GDP on health. Health spending dipped in 2022-23 and would only be 6 per cent higher compared to 2021-22

What’s on offer

> The government will open 157 nursing colleges in co-location with existing medical colleges. It shall also make ICMR labs available for research by public and private medical college faculty and for private R&D initiatives

> Govt will set up National Digital Library catering to different geographies. Physical libraries will be set up at panchayat and ward levels. Centre will recruit nearly 40,000 teachers for 740 Eklavya Model residential schools, which cater to tribal students