Parliament passes bill granting 'national importance' to Guj Ayurveda institutes

New Delhi: Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill to accord the status of an institution of national importance to a Jamnagar-based cluster of Ayurveda institutes.

The Bill - 'The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020' - was passed by a voice vote in Rajya Sabha.

Lok Sabha has already approved the bill in the last session, in which three Jamnagar, Gujarat-based institutes -- Institute of Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Gulabkunwerba Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya and Institute of Ayurveda Pharmaceutical Sciences --would be conglomerated.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan expressed appreciation for Ayurveda and its usefulness for the society and also for strengthening the healthcare systems of the world.

"Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine in the country with so much of traditional wisdom attached," he said and added that under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', the government has approved Rs 4000 crore for cultivation of medicinal plants and supporting farmers.

He said the selection of the Jamnagar institute was not "arbitrary" but it was chosen in a most objective manner being one of the oldest institutes under the category, established in 1956.

It was the oldest collaborating centre with WHO in Ayurveda and has imparted training to students from 65 countries in 20 years, he said and added that the institute has inked 30 pacts with different countries in the last 20 years.

The proposed institute would have a 15-member committee including the Minister of Ayush, Secretary of Ayush and Secretary of Health & Family Welfare of the Gujarat Government, along with three MPs in which two would be from Lok Sabha and one from Rajya Sabha.