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In the six years since the Centre’s flagship free health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat was launched in September 2018, more than a quarter of the total money spent by the government in treating the poor has been in five key specialties — cardiology (heart); general medicine; general surgery; orthopaedics (bones); and medical and radiation oncology (cancer).
Data analysed by The Indian Express from the dashboard of the National Health Authority, the apex body overseeing implementation of Ayushman Bharat, and obtained under the Right to Information Act shows that cardiology tops the expenditure chart, followed closely by general medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics, and medical oncology.
These five (see chart) cumulatively account for Rs 20,591 crore, or 28 per cent of the total government expenditure of Rs 72,817 crore under the scheme.
An all weather link to Tawang Sela tunnel boosts readiness at China border (Page no. 1)
(GS Paper 2, Defence)
The Sela Tunnel, which was “dedicated to the nation” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (March 9), is a key border infrastructure project as it connects Guwahati to the strategic Tawang sector round-the-year, thus aiding faster military movement to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at an altitude of around 13,000 feet and a cost of Rs 825 crore, the construction of the tunnel was aimed at providing all-weather connectivity to Tawang across Sela Pass on the Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang (BCT) Road, which connects Tezpur in Assam to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
Tezpur is the home of the Indian Army’s IV Corps which looks after Assam and western Arunachal Pradesh.
World
Zardari elected 14th President of Pakistan (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday took oath as Pakistan's 14th President, a day after the veteran politician staged a remarkable comeback when he was overwhelmingly elected as the only civilian president of the coup-prone country for a second time.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath to the 68-year-old Mr Zardari in a small yet formal ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the Presidential Palace.
Mr Zardari replaces Dr Arif Alvi, who stayed in office for five months after completing his five-year term in September 2023.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza among other senior army and civilian officials and diplomats.
The outgoing president Mr Alvi, a senior member of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, also attended the oath-taking ceremony.
Economy
India to sign trade agreement with EFTA today : What is the significance of the deal (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
India signed a trade agreement with the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA), an intergovernmental grouping of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
The deal brings in $100 billion in investment over 15 years, with the EFTA looking at joint ventures that will help India diversify imports away from China. Here, we explain its significance for India.
Over 64 countries, including India, are headed into elections this year, which could mean a long pause in free trade agreements (FTAs) for India and its trade partners.
However, time is running out as the global supply chain is fast undergoing a reset with investment, for the first time in the recent past, moving away from China.
While India is seen as a top contender by global inventors, the Vietnam-led Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN nations) and North American nations like Mexico are also emerging as favourable investment destinations.
A delay in streamlining investment flows and renewed attempts at global integration may turn out to be a missed geo-political opportunity.