‘Budget proposals non-inflationary will help achieve 7% growth rate’

New Delhi: Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth on Friday said Budget proposals are non-inflationary and will help achieve 7 per cent-plus growth rate for the fourth year in a row in 2024-25. Although there are external risks arising from geo-political tensions, "the growth rate of about 7 per cent next year is eminently doable," Seth told in a post-Budget interview with. Having contracted 5.8 per cent in 2020-21, the Indian economy recorded a growth rate of 9.1 per cent in the following year. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate was 7.2 per cent in 2022-23 and is estimated to inch up marginally to 7.3 per cent in the current financial year.

Budget to boost healthcare sector

Washington: India's interim Budget would help in addressing some of the major challenges being faced by the country in the health and pharma sector and reinforce India's standing as the Pharmacy of the World, a well-known pharma industry association head has said. The Union Health Ministry has been allocated Rs 90,658.63 crore in the interim Budget for 2024-2025, a hike of 12.59 per cent over 80,517.62 crore in the Budget (revised estimates) for 2023-2024. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government plans to set up more medical colleges by utilising existing hospital infrastructure and will form a committee to examine the issues and make relevant recommendations. India's commitment to promoting research and development in the life sciences sector will receive a boost with the government's plan to establish more medical colleges in the country, Karun Rishi, president of the USA India Chamber of Commerce said on Thursday.