Health sector representatives on Monday urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to reduce import duties on radiation machines used in cancer treatment.

At the pre-budget meeting with health and education sector representatives, chaired by Sitharaman, industry represented that the Make in India machines are not standard.

Industry pleaded the Finance Minister that duty on LINAC (linear accelerators) should be reduced, Dr Kailash Sharma, Director, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai said at North Block in the capital after the pre-budget meeting.

Education sector

Raj Nehru, Vice Chancellor, Vishwakarma Skill University, Haryana, said elementary child care, research, vocational training were discussed.

Spend on education was the focal point. Implementation of digital training and AI to train teachers, anganwadi workers was also discussed. On implementation of National Education policy (NEP), lot of discussion happened, he added.

“On implementation of NEP and various aspects like vocational teacher training or teacher training, specifically the training of teachers in the anganwadis was discussed,” Nehru said.

Ahead of the Budget, there has been submissions from industry that Centre must increase the allocation towards education and health sectors, noting that they were currently insignificant as percentage of GDP when compared to other countries.

Published on December 30, 2024