Rs 5 lakh healthcare cover for 10 crore poor families: Jaitley

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday announced a flagship National Health Protection Scheme under which Rs 5 lakh cover will be provided a year to 10 crore poor and vulnerable families in the country.

"We are now launching a flagship national health protection scheme to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. This is approximately 50 crore beneficiaries, by providing them up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation," Jaitley said presenting the 2018-19 Union Budget.

Terming it as the world's largest government funded healthcare programme, Jaitley said it would take healthcare protection to a new aspirational level

Jaitley also announced Rs 1,200 crore for the 1.5 lakh wellness health centres in the country.

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He also announced Rs 600 crore for nutritional support of Tuberculosis patients in India.

Under the initiative, Rs 500 will be provided to each TB patient undergoing treatment.

"A total of 24 new government medical colleges have also been announced as part of the new initiative for health by the government," said Jaitley.

With IANS inputs