Union Budget 2026: 3 All India Institutes of Ayurveda to be set up, 100,000 allied health professionals to be added

Union Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of measures to upgrade as well as enhance the capabilities of the Indian healthcare system. She proposed a series of measures to “create a new range of skilled career pathways”. 

The minister announced the setting up of three All India Institutes of Ayurveda, and addition of 100,000 Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) over the next five years. She said that 1.5 lakh caregivers will be trained. 

Two of the most significant announcements include the setting up of NIMHANS 2, and five regional medical hubs. "I propose to launch a scheme to support states in establishing five regional medical hubs,” she said, adding that these hubs will serve as integrated healthcare complexes that combine medical, educational and research facilities. 

FM Sitharaman also said that there would be a 50 per cent capacity increase in district hospitals by establishing emergency and trauma care centres.

The government also aims to strengthen the central drug standard control organisation to meet global standards and approve timeframes.

Sitharaman also proposed the Biopharma Shakti with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore over the next five years to build the ecosystem for domestic production of biologics and biosimilars.

Three new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, popularly known as NIPERS, will be set up and the seven existing ones will be upgraded.