New Delhi Centre for Sight, VLCC – both IPO aspirants – have welcomed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s second union budget for the fiscal year 2016-17. Both companies stand to gain from the latest initiatives announced by the government in the budget.
Dr. Mahipal Sachdeva, CMD, New Delhi Centre For Sight
It’s heartening the Government has noted that negative health events are a major cause for unforeseen out-of-pocket healthcare expenses driving millions of families below the poverty line each year. The launch of a new health protection scheme with a health cover of up to INR100,000 per family is a welcome step to take care of such exigencies. The provision of an additional top-up amount of up to INR30,000 for senior citizens aged 60 years and above is another thoughtful step. The Government has also acknowledged that quality medicines are unaffordable for common citizens. The opening of 3,000 stores under the Prime Minister’s Jan Aushadhi Yojana during 2016-17 will address this lacuna. End stage renal disease in on the increase in India and often has disastrous effects on poor families financial health. It is a positive step that government is going to make dialysis more affordable and also create a PPP model for dialysis in all districts
Similarly, VLCC’s Vandana Luthra commented that the budget’s move to add skills among India’s youth will be beneficial in tackling employability. Luthra called the budget positive and growth-oriented. VLCC plans to raise at least INR400 crore through its IPO which will also offer an exit opportunity to its investors including Everstone.
“The 2016-17 budget is positive and growth-oriented, which aims to enhance economic growth through a focus on agriculture and job creation.
A focus on the Skill India mission by establishment of 1,500 Multi Skill Training Institutes as well as by scaling up the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, will help address the issue of employability and economic empowerment of Indian youth, a pressing need in corporate India.
Initiatives like the health protection scheme, making quality medicines available at affordable prices and the National Dialysis Services Programme are also encouraging, even though investment in preventive healthcare measures by way of service tax reduction would have helped increase longevity and overall productivity of people.”
