NE needs more Ayush colleges, Centre keen to support: Sonowal

Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said more Ayush colleges should be set up in the northeast, and the Centre is keen to support the initiative. 

He also said the central government has increased financial assistance to states for establishing new Ayush colleges.  

More Ayush teaching colleges are required in the northeastern states earlier under the National Ayush Mission (NAM), Rs 9 crore was given to state governments to open such colleges, but this has now been enhanced to Rs 70 crore. 

The states may identify the land and manpower to avail this opportunity as per the NAM guidelines, the Union Minister for Ayush and Ports, Shipping and Waterways said.

There are only a few Ayush colleges in the northeast and traditional medicines can only be popularised 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 North Eastern States' here.

He said the Ministry of Ayush 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 crore.

Sonowal said the Centre provides Rs 5 crore to upgrade under-graduate Ayush teaching colleges and Rs 6 crore to improve the infrastructure of post-graduate 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), Guwahati 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.

D Senthil Pandiyan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, gave the opening remarks, which was followed by detailed presentations on education, career opportunities and entrepreneurial options related to the sector.

The ministry had earlier this month, too, held a conference on developing infrastructure for popularising the stream in the region.