I have gone through your lead article on ‘Budget 2012: What’s in store for healthcare?’ in Express Healthcare’s February 2012’s issue, wherein, some industry experts have opined that healthcare should be accorded infrastructure status, besides other incentives. In this regard, I would like to state that the Government has already conferred infrastructure status on healthcare industry (under Section 10 (23G) of the Income Tax Act) and announced slew of tax incentives and exemptions. However, the need to further extend and liberalise these tax rebates and incentives, grant of soft loans and depreciation limit cannot be overemphasised to provide much needed impetus to rural healthcare services.
– Dr Sanjeev Sood, NABH Empaneled Assessor, Certified Healthcare IT & Qlty Assurance ConsultantHospital & Health Systems Administrator, SMC, Air Force Station, Chandigarh -160003.
(Comment published in March 2012 Issue)