National Ayush Mission
New Delhi, 15 March 2021: Government of India is implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM) through States/UTs for development and promotion of AYUSH system of medicine including Homoeopathy.
Under NAM, Grant-in-aid is being provided to State/UT Governments for development and promotion of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) as per their proposed State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs). Specific resource pool with respect to NAM for each State/UT Government is allocated and communicated by the Central Government. Accordingly, the State/UT Governments submit their State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs) to the Ministry as per their felt need in accordance with NAM guidelines. Since NAM is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and implementation of the programme comes under the purview of respective States/UT Government, no specific targets have been fixed by Government of India in the States/UTs.
As Public Health is a State subject, setting up of AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries comes under the purview of respective State/UT Governments. However, under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM), there is provision of financial assistance for upgradation of Government/ Panchayat/ Government aided AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries for undertaking addition/ alteration of existing premises, furniture, fixtures, equipments etc. State/UT Governments are eligible for seeking grant-in-aid under this activity as per NAM guidelines.
Ministry of AYUSH advised State/UT Governments including Assam for utilizing the available funds under Medicines and Information, Education, Communication (IEC) and Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) under Centrally Sponsored Schemes of National AYUSH Mission for meeting out the demands arising from the recommendations of Ministry of AYUSH for prophylactic interventions in COVID-19 situation. Further, Ministry of AYUSH advised State/UT Government including Assam to facilitate utilization of the AYUSH infrastructure including Hospitals & Colleges for extending services in compacting COVID-19.
Government of India is implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM) through States/UTs including Assam and Tamil Nadu and facilitating their efforts for better access of AYUSH services through different activities like Co-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centers (PHCs), Community Health Centers (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs), Up gradation of exclusive State Government AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries, Setting up of up to 50 bedded integrated AYUSH Hospital, Upgradation of Health facilities (AYUSH Dispensaries and Health sub-centers) into AYUSH Health and Wellness Centre and Supply of essential drugs to AYUSH Dispensaries and Hospitals. Further under NAM, financial support is also being provided to State/UT Governments including Assam and Tamil Nadu for implementation of different health programmes i.e., AYUSH Gram, School Health Programme through AYUSH, and Public Health Outreach activity under which school related activities are also being conducted.
The objectives of National AYUSH Mission (NAM) are as follows:
(i) To provide cost effective AYUSH Services, with a universal access through upgrading AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries, co-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs).
(ii) To strengthen institutional capacity at the state level through upgrading AYUSH educational institutions, State Government Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy (ASU&H) Pharmacies, ASU & H Drug Testing Laboratories and enforcement mechanism.
(iii) Support cultivation of medicinal plants by adopting Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) so as to provide sustained supply of quality raw-materials and support certification mechanism for quality standards, Good Agricultural/Collection/Storage Practices.
(iv)Support setting up of clusters through convergence of cultivation, warehousing, value addition, marketing and development of infrastructure for entrepreneurs.
(b) Salient features of Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM)
Government of India is implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM) for development and promotion of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in the country.
The National AYUSH Mission (NAM) inter-alia makes provision for the following:-
(i) Co-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centers (PHCs), Community Health Centers (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs).
(ii) Supply of essential drugs to AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries.
(iii) Up gradation of exclusive State Government AYUSH Hospitals and Dispensaries.
(iv) Setting up of up to 50 bedded integrated AYUSH Hospital.
(v) Upgradation of State Government Educational Institutions.
(vi) Setting up of new State Government AYUSH Educational Institutions including Yoga and Naturopathy in the State where it is not available.
(vii) Strengthening of State Government/ Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy (ASU&H) Pharmacies and Drug Testing Laboratories (DTL).
(viii) Cultivation and Promotion of Medicinal Plants.
(ix) Upgradation of Health facilities (AYUSH Dispensaries and Health sub-centers) into AYUSH Health and Wellness Centre.
(x) Flexible components with provision for the following activities:
- AYUSH Wellness Centres including Yoga & Naturopathy
- Tele-medicine
- Sports Medicine through AYUSH
- Innovations in AYUSH including Public Private Partnership
- Reimbursement of Testing charges
- IEC activities
- Research & Development in areas related to Medicinal Plants
- Voluntary certification scheme: Project based.
- Market Promotion, Market intelligence & buy back interventions
- Crop Insurance for Medicinal Plants
The Minister of State (The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy), Sh. Kiren Rijiju (Additional Charge) stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here today.