Healthcare in West Bengal features a universal health care system run by the state and the federal governments. The Constitution of India charges every state with "raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties". Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of the Government of West Bengal is responsible for administering and funding the public hospital system in the state. The entire state population is covered by a health insurance, either provided by their employer or the Employees’ State Insurance (if the employee’s salary is up Rs 21000/month). Other categories of people (low-income, self-employed, the unemployed or the retired etc.) are covered under the state’s public health insurance scheme (Swasthya Sathi). As of 2021, the total public healthcare budget of the state is ₹16,368 crore (US$2.0 billion), out of which ₹10,922 crore (US$1.3 billion) was earmarked for public hospitals, ₹2,000 crore (US$240 million) was to be spent on the public health insurance program (Swasthya Sathi) and ₹5,246 crore (US$630 million) is to be spent on primary health services. An additional ₹1,000 crore (US$120 million), outside the official health budget, was to be spent on health insurance coverage for the current and retired employees of the state government. Healthcare forms roughly 4.5% of the state's entire budget which critics say should be increased to at least 8% in line with the National Health Policy.[1]