Union Budget: Five regional medical hubs to be set up to boost medical tourism in country
New Delhi (PTI): Giving an impetus to medical tourism, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed launching a scheme to support states in establishing five regional medical hubs in partnership with the private sector.
These hubs will serve as integrated healthcare complexes that combine medical, educational and research facilities, Sitharaman said presenting the budget 2026-27.
They will have AYUSH centres, medical value tourism facilitation centres and infrastructure for diagnostics, post care and rehabilitation, she stated.
These hubs will provide diverse job opportunities for health professionals, including doctors, and allied health professionals, she said.
Emphasising that post Covid, Ayurveda has gained global acceptance and recognition like yoga, Sitharaman also announced setting up of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda to strengthen research in the field.
"Ancient Indian yoga, already respected in several parts of the world, was given a mass global recognition when the prime minister took it to the UN," she said.
Exploring quality Ayurveda products helps farmers who grow herbs and youth who process the products, she said.
Besides setting up the three All India Institutes of Ayurveda, upgrading Ayush pharmacies and drug testing labs for higher standards of certification ecosystem has been proposed in the Budget.
She also called for upgrading the WHO Global Traditional Medicine centre in Jamnagar to bolster evidence-based research, training and awareness for traditional medicine.
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Rahul Gandhi joins Haryana Congress leader's 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram
Gurugram (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday joined the 'Sadbhav Yatra' of Haryana Congress leader Brijendra Singh here.
Gandhi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, reached Gurugram in the evening and joined the yatra. He also walked some distance with Brijendra, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh and other leaders.
Huge crowds had turned up for the occasion.
Later, Gandhi proceeded to the venue where he addressed a public gathering.
Leader of Opposition in Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda and other Congress leaders, including Randeep Singh Surjewala, B K Hariprasad, state Congress chief Rao Narender Singh, were also present.
Brijendra Singh had on Thursday said it is a matter of joy for them that Gandhi was joining the 'Sadbhav Yatra' in Gurugram-Badshahpur, "thereby strengthening the Indian National Congress' campaign for brotherhood and harmony".
The 'Sadbhav Yatra' began from Danoda village at Narwana in Jind on October 5, 2025, and has covered 85 of the 90 assembly segments in the state.
The foot march was started by Brijendra Singh, son of Congress veteran Birender Singh, to highlight several national and regional issues.
State Congress chief Rao Narender Singh had asked all party leaders to take part in Friday's event.
Days before his yatra began in October, Brijendra Singh, who narrowly lost the 2024 assembly polls from Jind's Uchana Kalan, accused the ruling BJP of playing "divisive politics" and said that "sadbhav" (harmony) has come under stress in the last decade.
Brijendra Singh was a sitting MP from Hisar for the BJP when he resigned ahead of the 2024 general election and switched over to the Congress. He also alleged that the saffron party creates a wedge in society to achieve its political purpose.
The 'padyatra' has so far covered 85 assembly constituencies in Haryana, traversing more than 2,700 kilometres.
Addressing the public gathering, Brijendra Singh said the yatra is inspired by Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, where he took the party's vision and values directly to the people of the country.
Singh said the yatra has highlighted issues like "Vote Chori" (vote theft), unemployment, poor law and order situation, agrarian distress, and issues related to government employees, labourers and traders.
"Sadbhav (harmony) and bhaichara (brotherhood), which the BJP is attempting to weaken, are the messages of this yatra," he said, adding that its slogan is "Congress ka haath bhaichara ka saath".
"This yatra is a natural extension of the Bharat Jodo Yatra," Brijendra Singh said.
