GUWAHATI, 11 Sep: Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said that more AYUSH colleges should be set up in the Northeast, and that the Centre is keen to support the initiative.
He also said that the central government has increased the financial assistance to the states for establishing new AYUSH colleges.
Earlier, under the National AYUSH Mission (NAM), Rs 9 crores was given to the state governments to open such colleges, but this has now been enhanced to Rs 70 crores.
“The states may identify the land and manpower to avail this opportunity as per the NAM guidelines,” the union minister for AYUSH said.
There are only a few AYUSH colleges in the Northeast and traditional medicines can only be popularized by making available more qualified practitioners, Sonowal said while addressing a conference on ‘Diverse and fulfilling career paths in AYUSH systems: Education, entrepreneurship and employment focus on northeastern states’ here in Assam.
He said that the AYUSH ministry has also accorded in-principle approval for upgrading the government Ayurvedic college here as a centre of excellence with support of up to Rs 10 crores.
Sonowal said the Centre provides Rs 5 crores to upgrade undergraduate AYUSH teaching colleges and Rs 6 crores to improve the infrastructure of postgraduate institutions in the Northeast.
The union minister announced a ‘panchkarma technician course’, affiliated to the Health Sector Skill Council – National Skill Development Corporation, at the Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI) here, with 10 seats for Class 10+2 students to produce skilled manpower and enhance employment opportunities in the Northeast region.
Career opportunities in the AYUSH sector for professionals of all disciplines have increased dramatically during recent years.
“Consequent to these efforts, faith in the AYUSH systems has been restored among communities worldwide,” Sonowal said.
AYUSH has a great potential to cater to a large number of healthcare needs of people and contribute to the growth and development of the country, he added.
The ministry had earlier this month held a conference on developing infrastructure for popularizing the stream in the region. (PTI)
