Govt trims health scheme cost estimates by 25% post Niti Aayog's criticism

New estimate stands at $25 bn for a three-year extension of the Centre's flagship programme

India's health ministry has trimmed its cost estimates for extending its main public health programme by 25 per cent after criticism from a federal think-tank over inefficiency and slow progress, according to government documents seen by Reuters.

The new estimate of $25 billion for a three-year extension of the flagship health programme, down from an initial figure of about $33 billion, comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi pushes a multi-pronged agenda to revamp health services.

Planned reforms include streamlining spending and bureaucracy, slashing prices of life-saving drugs and medical devices, and nudging companies such as PepsiCo to make more healthy products.

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