Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that the Union Cabinet approved the continuation of National AYUSH Mission as a centrally sponsored scheme till 2026. The scheme will continue from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026 with a financial impact of Rs 4,607.30 crore.
Thakur informed that the scheme includes expansion of AYUSH sector to promote overall health of Indians. He said that under the scheme ancient and traditional medicinal systems would be promoted and AYUSH health centres, medical colleges, hospitals and dispensaries would be established and upgraded.
The Information and Broadcasting Minister said that the Cabinet has also approved to change the name of North Eastern Institute of Folk Medicine as North Eastern Research Institute of Ayurveda and Folk Medicine. In this regard, an official statement said that along with this important changes will also be made in the ‘Memorandum of Association’ and rules and regulations.
It said that linking Ayurveda with the institute for imparting quality education and research in Ayurveda and folk medicine would be highly beneficial to the people of the North-East region. The statement further said that the institute will provide opportunities for students of Ayurveda and Folk medicine not only in India, but also in neighboring countries like Tibet, Bhutan, Mongolia, Nepal, China and other Central Asian countries.
It said that the Union Cabinet has approved the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) as a centrally sponsored scheme from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026 at Rs 4,607.30 crore (Rs 3,000 crore as central share and Rs 1,607.30 crore as state share). ) is approved to continue with the financial expenditure. AYUSH Mission was launched on 15 September 2014.
The scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of AYUSH with the aim of providing affordable AYUSH services. It aims to simultaneously provide AYUSH facilities in Primary Health Centers (PHCs), Community Health Centers (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs), with wider reach through up-gradation of AYUSH hospitals and dispensaries, for up-gradation of AYUSH educational institutions. It aims to strengthen institutional capacity at the state level, setting up of 50 bedded Integrated AYUSH Hospital, AYUSH public health program and running 12,500 AYUSH health health centres. This mission is expected to provide better access to AYUSH health services by providing better availability of AYUSH services and medicines and by providing trained manpower.