WASHINGTON/LONDON: Describing the budget as "pragmatic", noted economist Arvind Panagariya today said the coverage of 100 million families for expenses up to Rs 500,000 under government-funded health care is the most significant programme announced by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley "For a pre-poll budget, this is an extremely pragmatic budget. "The proposal to coverage of 100 million families for expenses up to Rs 500,000 for in-patient care is perhaps the most significant programme announced. "The budget also gives importance to education, particularly education of women. Only 40 per cent of women in India go to universities. Women are doing extremely well in all fields and more women need to be educated at the higher level," he said.

Source: Economic Times February 01, 2018 15:22 UTC