According to information obtained by News18, from fine-tuning plans to promote yoga to designing Ayurveda camps for senior citizens to designing a 500-bed Ayurveda-run hospital, the Ministry of Ayurveda is working to launch several people-centric projects within the first 100 days of the Modi 3.0 government.
The ministry has selected several themes to propose to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), including a policy on AYUSH research and innovation and a massive push for a range of plants to international markets.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his third term in office, all federal ministries and departments have been instructed to prepare presentations on their ‘100-day action plans’. These presentations are expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office next week and then to the Union Council of Ministers.
Established in 2014 under the initiative of Prime Minister Modi, the Ministry of Ayurveda is an acronym for Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha & Sowa Rigpa and Homeopathy.
Also, the growth potential of the Ayush market in India has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Prime Minister Modi actively promoting Ayush in his speeches and radio show ‘Mann Ki Baat’, leading people to increasingly turn to Ayush-based practices.
“100-day action plan”
The ministry is working on several public health related programmes, one of which is a plan to promote yoga among Indian households. “The final plan is still under discussion but the aim is to promote yoga by encouraging individuals and Indian households,” a government official familiar with the development told News18.
The ministry is also designing programmes for the elderly as suggested in the Niti Aayog report released in February this year. The elderly care report said that integrating the Ayush system for elderly care through preventive, wellness and curative interventions has great potential to address the health problems of the elderly.
“Ayush camps can be organised across India. In these camps, specialised clinics similar to outpatient clinics can be arranged for senior citizens free of charge or at a nominal fee,” the official said, adding that the social justice ministry had earlier approached the Ayush ministry to explore ideas to help senior citizens.
“Increasing demand among the elderly population for preventive medicines with minimal or very few side effects is likely to boost the Ayush market,” the official said, citing a report by India’s National Health Services.
There will also be an expansion of the New Delhi-based All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), adding 300 more beds to the existing 200. The AIIA has been given an additional 12 acres of land and the Ministry of Urban Development is already working with it to sanction the infrastructure.
