Assam: Mainstreaming of AYUSH creating immense entrepreneurial opportunities, says CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on August 25 said that mainstreaming of AYUSH creates immense and youths from the northeast must make the best use of it.   

He said this while addressing a gathering after attending the first-ever “Regional Review Meeting of North-Eastern States of India on AYUSH” organized by the National Ayush Mission, Assam, and the state’s Health & Family Welfare Department in Guwahati. 

Speaking at the event, Sarma Chief said the north-eastern states can immensely contribute towards the further spread of practices such as Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, unani, and homeopathy among the residents of the country. 

Further while referring to Ayurveda, and yoga, among others, as time-tested practices, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said AYUSH is gradually rising in prominence as the focus tilts towards holistic well-being. 

''The need to capitalize on the opportunities that have been created with the recent mainstreaming of AYUSH practices across the country. He called upon the youths from across the country in general and those from the northeastern states in particular to make the best use of the entrepreneurial opportunities the AYUSH sector is offering,'' an official statement quoted him as saying.

He also said that at present, as many as 40,000 units of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are involved in the production of AYUSH-related items and that the sector can accommodate a much greater number of production units owing to the steady increase in demand such products. 

Sarma said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the National Ayush Mission to propagate the practice of traditional systems of treatments and medicine to provide a boost to related educational infrastructure and ensure quality control. 

''These efforts gradually have started to bear fruits as AYUSH gains international recognition from numerous quarters. Initiatives such as International Yoga Day too are contributing greatly towards raising the awareness of the general public across the globe about the health benefits associated with the practice of the ancient Indian tradition of yoga,'' he added.
 
Referring to the North-eastern region of the country as a treasure trove of economically viable plants and herbs with medicinal properties, Dr. Sarma said the eight states of the region must strive to attain a status similar to that of Kerala in the field of tourism for traditional medicinal healing and cure. 

''This would contribute towards the growth of the tourism and hospitality industry and create a good number of employment opportunities in the region,'' he added.
 
The Chief Minister also expressed concern at the trend of AYUSH doctors and practitioners often prescribing allopathic medicine to their patients. This can be attributed to a lack of pride regarding AYUSH among some of the practitioners of alternative and traditional forms of medicine. 

''It has now been proven through various research works that traditional forms of treatments such as Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy are highly effective and have no side-effects as often seen in the use of allopathic medicines,'' he said.

Sarma exuded confidence the north-eastern states would emerge as one of the hotspots of AYUSH practices in days to come and thanked the Union Minister of AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal and AYUSH Ministry’s Minister of State Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai for their ministry’s relentless attempts to propagate the practice of traditional forms of medicines and treatments.