Bhubaneswar: The Centre will add 75,000 medical seats in the country over the next five years.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made this announcement while presenting the Budget for 2025-26 financial year in the Parliament today.

“Our government has added around 1.1 lakh undergraduate and postgraduate medical education seats in last 10 years. We will create 10,000 additional seats in medical colleges and hospitals next year. A target has been set to add 75,000 medical seats in next five years,” said the Finance Minister in her Budget speech.

The creation of additional medical seats will boost doctor-patient ratio in the country.

The Finance Minister also announced exemptions on basic customs duty on 36 lifesaving drugs, providing relief to patients, particularly those suffering from cancer, rare diseases and other severe chronic diseases.  

The government has planned to open cancer care centres in all district headquarters hospitals (DHHs). It has also proposed to hike the allocations towards Mission Shakti initiative to Rs 3,150 crore in this year’s Budget.