Budget estimates for financial year 2024-25

"The PM-CARES Fund accepts micro-donations too. It will strengthen disaster management capacities and encourage research on protecting citizens. Let us leave no stone unturned to make India healthier and more prosperous for our future generations." – Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, Mar 28, 2020[1] Dear Editor, Majhi et al.[2] analyze the health budget of Amrit Kaal (roughly translates to the golden period) 2024-25 in the January 2024 issue of the Journal. The (Kaal) period refers to the 25-year run-up to the arrival of the centenary of our independence from foreign rule.[3] The article dissects allocation to different heads and underscores its significance. It also compares it with the previous year's figures and highlights changes therein. Whether consumption in certain areas increased and fully utilized or not, we know by going through it. Figure 2: Budget estimate shifts in 2024–2025 from 2023 to 2024 in percentage; header provides us a bird's eye view of key changes unfolding in our era. I appreciate the authors for their careful observation, drawing their inferences and then sharing with us in such a timely manner. Knowledge of an insight into economic affairs enriches our wisdom regarding the priorities of the political executive of the day and the way policies are shaped and honed by the administration. Nonetheless, I developed intrigue when having a cursory observation and raised a curiosity in Figure 1: Graph showing allocation of budget to health in past 10 years as a percentage share of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). The figure depicts the way the budget allocation has been varying since the present government ascended to power.[4] Interestingly, there is a large dip in the sector in 2021. We need to recall that the period relates to the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] Therefore, when the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 scourge was widespread, the infection was running amok and at the front and center of our attention; why there would be a dip in economic scale is a poser we need to resolve. The answer may lie outside the official figures. As soon as the pandemic arrived from foreign shores, the government made arrangements for collecting funds in good will—both domestically and from foreign donors.[6] As the activity of Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situation Fund (PM CARES) was -and still is- outside public scrutiny, we don't know much about the transactions made by influential groups there. Nevertheless, when figures of the Commentary throw up a counterintuitive picture of the then prevailing scenario, we would reconcile the apparently low allocation and expenditure then with what is unknown. The authors of the write-up also put a question mark on private beneficiaries of flagship schemes of the government, for example, PM JAY (Prime Minister Jan Arogya Yojana). They correctly state that the unaccountable and irresponsible private sector (with some exceptions) has been heaping public money without checks and balances. What was the breakup of beneficiaries of the pandemic funds collected in the sovereign treasury, we'd know. But the popularity of the government never waned since then.[7] Nonetheless, to continue to have people's faith in it, we would press powers—that—be to be more open, transparent, approachable, and available for disclosures without fear or favor. Our Prime Minister aspires to have Ram Rajya in the country. During that Rajya (reign), people should have the liberty to enjoy freedom of expression, look into balance sheets, and have the right to redress their grievances without much ado. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.