♦ Guwahati: Attending the first-ever regional review meeting of north-eastern States on Ayush, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday commented that the region can immensely contribute towards the further spread of practices such Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani and Homeopathy among the residents of India. Referring to Ayurveda and Yoga with others as time-tested practices, Sarma said Ayush is gradually rising in prominence as focus tilts towards holistic well-being. Mentionable is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the national Ayush mission to propagate the practice of traditional systems of treatment & medicines, provide a boost to related educational infrastructure and ensure quality control. Sarma opined that these efforts have gradually started to bear fruits as Ayush gained international recognition from numerous quarters.
He added that initiatives such as International Yoga Day too are contributing greatly towards raising the awareness of general public across the globe about the health benefits associated with practice of the ancient Indian tradition of Yoga. Sarma stressed upon 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 India in general and those from north-eastern States in particular to make the best use of the entrepreneurial opportunities the Ayush sector is offering. Currently, 40,000 units of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are involved in production of Ayush-related items and the sector can accommodate a much greater number of production units owing to the steady increase in demand of such products, he asserted.
Referring to the region as a treasure trove of economically-viable plants and herbs with medicinal properties, Sarma stated that all eight States of the region should 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 growth of the tourism & hospitality industry and create a good number of employment opportunities in the region, added Sarma expressing hope that north-eastern States would soon emerge as one of the hotspots of Ayush practices.
Sarma also thanked Union Ayush minister Sarbananda Sonowal and his deputy Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai for the ministry’s relentless attempts to propagate the practice of traditional forms of medicines and treatments. Manipur health minister Sapam Ranjan Singh, Assam health minister Keshab Mahanta, Sikkim health minister Kunga Nima Lepcha, Arunachal Pradesh health minister Alo Libang, Mizoram health minister R. Lalthang Liana, Tripura minister Pranajit Singha Roy with other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
