Budget 2026: India's Healthcare Budget Crosses ₹1 Lakh Crore for First Time

• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated ₹1,06,530.42 crore to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a 10% hike from last year.
• The government proposes five regional medical hubs, NIMHANS 2.0 in Ranchi, and five medical tourism hubs in partnership with private hospitals like Apollo, Max, and Fortis.
• Plans include upgrading Ayush pharmacies, drug testing labs, and the WHO Traditional Medicine Centre at Jamnagar, along with three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda.
• District hospitals will see a 50% capacity increase with new emergency and trauma care centers, and a strong geriatric care system will be built.
• Key schemes like Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY received ₹9,500 crore, and PMABHIM got ₹4,200 crore, reinforcing public health infrastructure.

Why It Matters: India's healthcare budget reached a record ₹1.06 lakh crore in Budget 2026, focusing on infrastructure and medical tourism.