UP, Bihar allocate more funds for healthcare

In NITI Aayog's Health Index, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, among the larger states, had the lowest rankings. However, there is a positive aspect to note as these states have allocated a significant proportion of their budget towards healthcare in their FY24 budgets.Uttar Pradesh has allocated 7.19% of its budgeted expenditure to healthcare, while Bihar has set aside 7.01% for the sector. On the other hand, Odisha leads the list by earmarking 7.54% of its budgeted expenditure for healthcare, ranking 14th according to the NITI Aayog Index. Rajasthan's allocation stands at 7.43%. Unfortunately, Madhya Pradesh performed poorly in both NITI Aayog's Health Index and its allocation towards healthcare. The state ranked 17th out of 19 states and allocated only 5.79% of its budget towards healthcare.

It is important to note that the NITI Aayog Index assesses various factors such as child mortality, multiple mortality, and health infrastructure to rank states. In terms of the actual budget allocation, Uttar Pradesh allocated the highest amount to healthcare in FY24, with ₹47,404 crore. Maharashtra followed with ₹25,015 crore, and Rajasthan with ₹22,064 crore. However, it is worth mentioning that Maharashtra's healthcare allocation accounts for less than 5% of the state's total budget expenditure.