Zoctr Healthcare welcomes Union Budget

"The Union Finance Minister's proposals to deepen access to healthcare in underserved areas is commendable. FM's move to set up dialysis centres in all district hospitals that offer services at affordable prices, by reducing duties, will come as a great relief to caregivers of those afflicted with Renal ailments," says Nidhi Saxena, founder and CEO of Zoctr Health, home healthcare aggregator with presence in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

"Emerging areas with superior technology applications like Home Dialysis, including Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis, too should get a big boost," she said.

"Health protection cover of Rs. 100,000 per year is a re-assurance for Indian families that common citizens are well cared for. The Rs. 130,000 annual health cover to senior citizens would afford access to better care, including Homecare, considering that their disease profiles need long term rehabilitation and support," she said.

"Positive moves like setting up of a Rs 500 crore allocation to Stand-Up India initiative for SC, ST and women entrepreneurs; tax holiday for start-ups, lowering of Corporate Tax for companies with turnover below Rs 5 Crore and tax exemption on Capital Gains investments in Fund of Funds for startups too will boost the confidence of emerging health tech start-ups like Zoctr," adds Saxena who is taking her start-up Zoctr to 18 Indian cities by end of 2016. 

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday presented the Union Budget 2016 focusing on rural development and farm and social sector while offering some relief to tax payers as analysts see it as a pro-poor budget with big ideas which is a challenge for the government to implement.