Karnataka budget gives big booster shot to health & lifesciences start-ups with focus on infrastructure & innovation
Karnataka government has given a booster shot to health & startups in lifesciences with focus on infrastructure and innovation. Announcing an allocation of Rs. 14,950,496 crore for healthcare, state has called for the re-introduction of Yashashwini scheme to provide medical facilities to rural farmers with a grant of Rs. 300 crore.
Presenting the budget, Karnataka chief minister said that the objective of the state is to provide healthcare to all. In this contest, there is need to expand health infrastructure. In the delivery of healthcare with technology, start-ups are being encouraged. The state is home to the highest number of startups in the country pegged at 15,000.
The government allocated Rs. 10 crore funding to the Health-Tech and Med-Tech segment and a separate Rs. 5 crore to set up a Bio-Bank.
The budget focuses on the establishment of total 438 ‘Namma Clinic’ in all wards of Bengaluru and in the important cities of the State for testing of non-communicable diseases. It will establish 300 Women Health Centres for giving counselling for women health problems. There will also be free eye testing and operation facility and spectacles for poor senior citizens.
In the area of chronic care, it will establish a regional cardiology centre of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology in Hubballi at a cost of Rs. 250 crore. In addition to a Regional Cancer Centre of Kidwai in Belagavi at a cost of Rs. 50 crore. Further, it will also set up Infusion Centres in 10 select institutes of medical sciences to provide chemo therapy for cancer patients.
In an effort to provide faster access to healthcare, it will upgrade seven taluk hospitals to 100 bed hospital, set up a Trauma Care Centre in Tumakuru. The existing Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology will map hospitals in taluks for heart care. To enable the commencement of post graduate medical science at the district level, conversion of government hospitals of more than 200 bed capacity to teaching hospitals with the approval of National Medical Council. It will start medical post graduate course in Tumakuru District General Hospital this year. Specifically for Bengaluru, the government will construct a 500 bed super specialty hospital in 4 areas.
Commencement of mobile clinic under “Mukhya Mantri Arogya Vahini” programme in Bidar, Chamarajanagara, Haveri and Chikkamagalur Districts will enable preventive healthcare and early detection.
At Savanur, the government will establish a new Ayurveda College in Savanur. Further, action will be taken to provide medical education opportunities to poor student. Here coaching for NEET exam in all taluks with assistance to educational loan from banks for poor students who obtain admission in government seats of government/private medical colleges. There will be classification of private medical collages and action to fix the fees through fee regulation committee.
In its emphasis to eradicate malnutrition, the government will distribute fortified rice in 14 district at a cost of Rs. 93 crore on pilot basis under ‘Poushtika Karnataka’ scheme.
Making a big move to give a fillip to innovation the Karnataka chief minister announced steps to promote start-ups in budget. These cover INNOVERSE a world class incubation centre at Rs. 10 crore. Global Innovation Alliance which is a Market Access Programme (GIA-MAP).
Besides, the government allocated Rs. 2 crore for a Technology Transfer Institute to support New Age Incubation Network (NAIN). It will start new Centers of Excellence.
Source : 1
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