CM Dhami issues directives to make Uttarakhand major destination for AYUSH, wellness

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 5 : Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reviewed the Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) Education Department at the Secretariat on Friday and directed the officials to work with an effective action plan to make the state a major destination in the field of AYUSH and wellness.
According to an official release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), "The production of herbs should be further promoted in Uttarakhand. For this, proper arrangements for collection and marketing should be made in coordination with the AYUSH Department, Horticulture and Forest Corporation."
CM Dhami also gave instructions to bring a new yoga policy soon to make Uttarakhand the best yoga destination in the world and said that special efforts should be made to promote Panchakarma.
Pointing out the need to pay attention to the availability of AYUSH treatment to common citizens, the Chief Minister said that along with private participation in the field of AYUSH, attention should also be paid to the establishment of quality AYUSH hospitals.
To promote the field of AYUSH, the Chief Minister also gave instructions to make arrangements for a proper platform for marketing the products of herbal farmers.
Pointing out the need to speed up efforts to conduct Ayurveda programs to provide information related to AYUSH to school students, he also gave instructions to ensure its arrangement in all schools and to expedite the effective implementation of the AYUSH policy.

For better functioning in the field of AYUSH, the Chief Minister urged special attention towards the establishment of wellness centres, certification of AYUSH services and arrangement for training of AYUSH doctors and pharmacists through renowned AYUSH experts that will help in connecting AYUSH medicine with the public.

As per the release, information was given in the meeting that AYUSH policy has been implemented in the state. In this, provisions related to wellness, health, AYUSH production, AYUSH education and research and cultivation of medicinal plants have been made.
The policy includes the promotion of the production of high-quality Ayurvedic herbs, mandatory adherence to international standards of Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), use of the latest drone-based technology, the establishment of cold storage on PPP mode, and regulation of vendors of medicinal plants.
Establishment of an online platform to bring together buyers (farmers, local suppliers) and buyers (drug manufacturers), 'Assured Buy-back' scheme for medicinal plants in Uttarakhand in collaboration with leading manufacturers and reputed marketing agencies in the state. Clear guidelines have been included for the branding of major medicinal plants grown.

The latest MSME policy and Mega Industrial and Investment Policy in AYUSH policy have also been implemented on AYUSH manufacturing units.
Additional capital assistance of up to 10 per cent for all AYUSH manufacturing units, encouragement to establish common testing laboratories at 2-3 important places in the state for quality assessment of AYUSH products, mandatory to obtain AYUSH Premium Mark, AYUSH Standard Mark for AYUSH products has been done.
In this policy, reimbursement of the fixed fee for obtaining NABH accreditation to every AYUSH hospital/AYUSH healthcare clinic that gets NABH accreditation in the next 5 years, the plan to launch the AYUSH teleconsultation app has been included.

In the field of AYUSH, through the State Tourism Policy, 2023, up to 50 per cent capital assistance will be provided to wellness resorts, Ayurveda/Yoga/Naturopathy resorts and 5 per cent financial assistance to wellness centres, Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy resorts to be established in Category B and Category C areas. Arrangements have been made to provide additional capital assistance of 100 per cent.
To promote AYUSH education, a provision has been made to provide a lump sum incentive amount of up to Rs 15 lakh to the AYUSH colleges that meet the standards set by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).