New Delhi, September 3, 2025 –

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, inaugurated the Departmental Summit on ‘National Ayush Mission and Capacity Building in States’ at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in Sarita Vihar, New Delhi. The event, attended by Member (Health) of NITI Aayog, Dr. V. K. Paul, and Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, underscored the government’s vision to strengthen the Ayush sector and integrate traditional healthcare systems with modern medical frameworks to achieve the goal of a Swasth Bharat as a foundation for Viksit Bharat by 2047.

In his address, Shri Jadhav emphasized the government’s commitment to creating state-specific healthcare frameworks and developing comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs) to enhance healthcare delivery across India. He highlighted the transformative role of the National Ayush Mission (NAM), launched in 2014 under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, in advancing affordable and inclusive Ayush healthcare services. The Minister noted the mission’s evolution from primarily outpatient-based services to a holistic model that prioritizes preventive and promotive healthcare. A key achievement in this direction is the establishment of 12,500 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs nationwide, which aim to deliver comprehensive healthcare services rooted in traditional systems.

Shri Jadhav also announced the launch of the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) for Ayush healthcare facilities on March 4, 2024. Developed in collaboration with NITI Aayog and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), these standards aim to ensure uniformity and quality in Ayush infrastructure, human resources, capacity building, medicines, quality assurance, clinical trials, and branding. The Minister further revealed that Ayurveda Day will now be celebrated annually on September 23, with this year’s 10th anniversary themed “Ayurveda for People and Planet.” This theme reflects Ayurveda’s dual focus on individual well-being and ecological sustainability, and Shri Jadhav urged all States and Union Territories to actively participate in elevating this initiative into a global health movement.

A significant highlight of the summit was the inauguration of the Project Management Unit (PMU) at AIIA, designed to assist stakeholders with Ayush-related insurance matters. The PMU will serve as a dedicated interface to facilitate access to Ayush treatments through insurance mechanisms, making traditional healthcare more accessible to the public. Additionally, Shri Jadhav launched the ‘Ayurvidya Advanced Centre’ at AIIA, a pioneering digital platform dedicated to Ayurveda education and communication. This initiative aims to democratize Ayurveda learning through expert-led courses, live webinars, and interactive sessions, fostering innovation and capacity building in the Ayush sector.

Dr. V. K. Paul, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog, addressed the gathering, emphasizing the critical role of the Ayush sector in achieving national health goals. He noted that the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 hinges on a healthy and productive population, with health serving as both an enabler and a milestone for national development. Dr. Paul highlighted India’s progress in combating acute diseases and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, with focused efforts to eliminate diseases such as Tuberculosis, Leprosy, Lymphatic Filariasis, Measles, Kala Azar, and Rubella. To further these efforts, he called for increasing life expectancy from the current 71 years to 85 years or more through an integrated approach combining modern and traditional healthcare systems.

Dr. Paul outlined key action points to strengthen the Ayush sector, including better implementation of the National Ayush Mission, enhancing Ayush medical education infrastructure, promoting wellness and medical value tourism, and encouraging greater participation from the Ayush private sector and trained workforce. He stressed the importance of collective efforts to mainstream Ayush for improved health outcomes across the country.

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, underscored the importance of the ‘Har Ghar Ayuryog’ initiative, which integrates Ayush and Yoga to promote healthier lifestyles at the household level. He highlighted the summit’s role as a platform for driving behavioral change and ensuring the effective implementation of Ayush policies. The two-day summit, structured around six key sub-themes, facilitated detailed discussions on state-specific notes and feedback from grassroots stakeholders, fostering a participatory approach to strengthen and expand the National Ayush Mission.

The summit saw active participation from senior bureaucrats representing various States and Union Territories, who presented their findings on allocated themes and shared state-specific feedback collected from grassroots stakeholders. The National Ayush Mission, a flagship program, continues to promote holistic healthcare by integrating Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Homeopathy, aligning with the government’s vision of a healthier and more resilient India.