Two-Day Departmental Summit on National Ayush Mission and Capacity Building Concludes in New Delhi
Deliberations focus on integration, innovation, and institutional strengthening for the Ayush sector
The two-day Departmental Summit on “National Ayush Mission and Capacity Building in States”, organised by the Ministry of Ayush, concluded yesterday at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Sarita Vihar, New Delhi. The summit brought together senior policymakers, State and UT health officials, domain experts, and stakeholders from across the country to deliberate on strengthening the Ayush sector at the national and sub-national levels.
The summit was inaugurated on September 3 by the Hon’ble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, in the esteemed presence of Dr. V. K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, and Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush.
In his inaugural address, Shri Jadhav highlighted the transformative impact of the National Ayush Mission (NAM) in expanding affordable and inclusive Ayush healthcare services under the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister. He also inaugurated two key facilities at AIIA: a Project Management Unit (PMU) for assisting the public with insurance claims, and an Advanced Centre for Ayurveda Digital Learning and Communications, aimed at enhancing capacity building, professional development, and digital innovation in the sector.
Dr V. K. Paul emphasised the importance of synergy between the National Health Mission (NHM) and the National Ayush Mission (NAM) to improve national health outcomes and stressed the importance of collaborative action between the Centre and States.
The summit witnessed wide participation and intense discussions across six thematic areas, including:
- Financial Management and Project Monitoring
- Integration of Ayush with Modern Healthcare and Public Health Programs
- Human Resource Strengthening and Capacity Building
- Infrastructure Development and Service Delivery
- Quality Assurance of ASU&H Medicines, including Branding and Packaging
- IT-enabled Digital Services for the Ayush Sector
The valedictory session was addressed by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, who emphasised the need for large-scale Behaviour Change Communication and widespread lifestyle adoption rooted in Ayurveda through the Har Ghar AyurYog initiative. He urged States and UTs to bring forward innovative proposals to strengthen the National AYUSH Mission in the upcoming financial cycle, highlighting India’s diversity as a key strength for developing scalable health models aligned with Viksit Bharat@2047 and the national goal of allocating 5% of GDP to health.
Experts and Stakeholders Deliberate on Six Thematic Areas to Accelerate Growth and Quality in Ayush Services
He outlined key priorities, including the establishment of 10 more AIIA-like institutes, enhanced collaboration with AYUSH Research Councils, and strengthened State-level budgetary provisions in line with the 16th Finance Commission. Citing the NSSO survey indicating 95% awareness of AYUSH among citizens, the Secretary called on States and UTs to translate this awareness into action—through infrastructure, innovation, and partnerships—positioning AYUSH as a cornerstone of preventive healthcare and holistic wellness.
Dr. A. Raghu, Deputy Director General (Ayush Vertical), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, presented a summary of the deliberations and key recommendations, urging States to consider the creation of dedicated Ayush Ministries or Departments to ensure coordinated and sustained growth in the sector.
The summit featured keynote addresses and expert insights from renowned dignitaries and professionals, including Shri Hoveyda Abbas, Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser, Ministry of Ayush and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; Ms. Indrani Kaushal, Senior Economic Adviser, MoHFW; Dr. B. N. Gangadhar, Former Chairman of the National Medical Commission; Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, Member of the Capacity Building Commission; Dr. V. M. Katoch, Former Director General of ICMR; Shri Rajiv Vasudevan, Managing Director and CEO of AyurVAID Hospitals; Dr. J.L.N. Sastry from Dabur Research and Development Centre;
Shri Ranjit Puranik, Managing Director of Shree Dhootapapeshwar Ltd.; Shri Abhishek Singh, Director General of NIC and CEO of the India AI Mission; Professor Bejon Kumar Mishra, Chairman of the Core Group of Experts for Insurance; Dr. Bhavana Prashar, Senior Principal Scientist at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology; and Shri Bhushan Patwardhan, Professor, Savitribai Phule Pune University.
The summit concluded with a renewed commitment to capacity building, integration, and quality enhancement across the Ayush ecosystem, reinforcing its pivotal role in achieving India’s health and wellness goals.
Disclaimer: This is an official press release by Pib.
