By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Union cabinet on Wednesday approved the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi (PMSSN) as a single reserve fund for share of health from the proceeds of health and education cess levied under the Finance Act, 2007.
The Centre said the salient feature of PMSSN is that it is a single, non-lapsable reserve fund for health in the public account and proceeds of share of health in the health and education cess will be credited into it.
The accruals, said the government, into the PMSSN will be utilised for the flagship schemes of the health ministry such as Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Health and Wellness Centres, National Health Mission and Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.
It could also be utilised for emergency and disaster preparedness and responses during health emergencies and any future programmes or schemes that targets to achieve progress towards sustainable development goals and the targets set out in the National Health Policy, 2017.
The administration and maintenance of the PMSSN are entrusted to the health ministry. The expenditure on such schemes of the ministry would be initially incurred from the PMSSN and thereafter, from gross budgetary support.
“The major benefit will be enhanced access to universal and affordable health care through availability of earmarked resources, while ensuring that the amount does not lapse at the end of financial year,” maintained the health ministry.