Delhi Budget could make provision for free COVID-19 vaccine for all residents — check details

Delhi Budget 2021-22: The Delhi government is likely to present its state budget on Tuesday. Ahead of that, a report in The Indian Express has said that a key feature of the budget for the health sector would be the allocation of free Coronavirus vaccines for everyone, including those under the age of 60 years and not having any comorbidities. The report cited a state government official as saying that there were apprehensions that once the senior citizens and people with comorbidities were vaccinated, the people would have to pay Rs 150. The official said that this apprehension was unfounded as the budget would have a separate allocation for free Covid vaccines for people of Delhi.

The official added that vaccinating as many people as possible at the earliest would be in the city’s best interest and so the government did not want funds to be an obstruction to that.

Delhi has been allotted a budget of more than Rs 65,000 crore this year, marking an increase over last year even though the Coronavirus pandemic resulted in lower tax collection. With this budget, the state is hoping to bring changes to industry as well as business norms in the hopes of increasing the residents’ per capita income, the report added.

It was estimated that in 2019-20, the per capita income of Delhi was Rs 3,89,143, a whopping three times that of the national average. But the state government aims to bring the per capita income in the city at par with that of Singapore residents by the time India marks its 100th year of Independence in 1947.

While the Budget Session in the Delhi Assembly began on Monday, the state Budget would likely be presented on Tuesday, the report said, adding that it could also have a focus on bringing Sainik Schools to Delhi, as the city currently does not have any.