Surat Municipal Budget 2025-26 Prioritizes Healthcare & Digital Innovation

Surat : Surat Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal presented the draft budget for the financial year 2025-26 before the Standing Committee on February 19. The ₹9603 crore budget focuses heavily on improving health services, digital surveillance, and infrastructure development.

A key highlight of the budget is the strengthening of healthcare facilities in Surat. The Municipal Commissioner announced that biochemistry analyzer services would be introduced in the 50-bed hospitals operated by Surat Municipal Corporation in Pal, Bamroli, Bhathena, and Katargam at a cost of ₹40 lakh. This initiative will provide essential tests such as sugar tests, kidney function tests, and liver function tests to patients. Additionally, Complete Blood Count (CBC) and differential count tests will be introduced at all urban health centers using semi-automated cell counter machines to enhance diagnostic services.

In a significant move to support senior citizens, the Commissioner announced that under the Old Age Scheme, all laboratory tests available at 50-bed hospitals would be provided free of cost to individuals above the age of 70. Furthermore, as part of preventive healthcare measures, citizens over 30 years old will be screened for hypertension, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases to enable early detection and treatment.

For the first time, Surat will implement a QR code-based digital surveillance system to track and control vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue. Every household in the city will have a unique QR code, allowing real-time diagnosis and reporting of cases. The system will facilitate faster response times and ensure efficient disease tracking. Additionally, AI-based analysis will be utilized to identify malaria risk areas and potential hotspots, enabling better resource allocation and intervention.

Under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, the Surat Municipal Corporation has set an ambitious target to generate Abha IDs for 35 lakh citizens. This initiative will streamline access to digital healthcare records and improve medical service efficiency in the city.