National Ayush Mission to continue as centrally sponsored scheme till 2026

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved continuation of the National Ayush Mission as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for another five years till 2026, Union minister Anurag Thakur said.

The scheme would continue from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026 with a financial implication of Rs 4,607.30 crore to be spent during the period.

Thakur told reporters that the scheme involves the expansion of the Ayush sector to promote the holistic health of Indians.

He said under the scheme, old and traditional medicinal systems would be promoted and Ayush wellness centres, medical colleges, hospitals and dispensaries set up and upgraded.

He said the Cabinet also approved change of nomenclature and mandate of North Eastern Institute of Folk Medicine (NEIFM) as North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Folk Medicine Research (NEIAFMR).

The consequential changes will also be carried out in the Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations, another official statement said.

The inclusion of Ayurveda within the mandate of the institute will be highly beneficial for the people of North East for imparting quality education and research in Ayurveda and folk medicine.

The institute will also provide opportunities for students of Ayurveda and folk medicine, not only in India but also the neighbouring countries such as Tibet, Bhutan, Mongolia, Nepal, China and other Central Asian countries, the statement said.

The cabinet has approved the continuation of National AYUSH Mission (NAM) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme from April 12 to March 31 with financial implication of Rs 4607.30 crore (Rs 3,000 crore as central share and Rs. 1607.30 crore as state share) an official statement said.

The mission was launched on September 15, 2014.

The scheme is being implemented by the AYUSH Ministry with the objective of providing cost-effective services, with a universal access through upgrading AYUSH hospitals and dispensaries, coU-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs), strengthening institutional capacity at the state level through upgrading educational institutions, setting up of new upto 50 bedded integrated hospitals, AYUSH Public Health programmes and operationalisation of 12,500 AYUSH Health and Wellness Centres to provide services of a holistic wellness model based on AYUSH principles and practices so as to empower masses for "self-care" to reduce the disease burden, and out of pocket expenditure.

The mission is addressing the gaps in health services through supporting the efforts of state and UT governments particularly in vulnerable and far-flung areas, the statement said.

Under NAM, special focus is given for specific needs of such areas and for allocation of higher resources in their annual plans.

The expected outcomes of the mission are better access to AYUSH healthcare services through increased healthcare facilities offering services and better availability of medicines and trained manpower for providing AYUSH health services and education in the country.

The expected outcomes also include improvement in AYUSH education through a well-equipped, enhanced number of AYUSH educational institutions and to focus on reducing communicable/non-communicable diseases through targeted public health programmes using AYUSH systems of healthcare.