An Ayush Visa category for those visiting India for traditional treatments, an “AYUSH Mark” to ensure authenticity to quality ‘Made-in-India’ Ayush products and Ayush Parks are some of the Government’s major initiatives afoot to ensure the presence of Indian Ayush System in the global market.
This was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the inauguration of the three-day Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar on Wednesday.
“A special Ayush mark for Ayush products will give people all over the world the confidence of quality Ayush products. Government will develop a network of Ayush parks to encourage the promotion, research and manufacturing of Ayush products across the country.
“A new category named 'Ayush Aahar' was announced which will greatly facilitate the producers of herbal nutritional supplements. Further, India will soon introduce a special Ayush visa category.”
Describing the current age, the era of unicorns, the Prime Minister informed that in 2022 itself, so far 14 start-ups from India have joined the Unicorn Club. “I am sure unicorns will emerge from our Ayush start-ups very soon”, he stated.
It is very important that the farmers involved in growing medicinal plants get the facility to easily connect with the market. For this, the government is also working on modernisation and expansion of the Ayush e-marketplace, he added.
"So far, this year, 14 startups have joined the unicorn club. I am confident that unicorns will soon emerge from among the Ayush ecosystem" said Modi, who had inaugurated the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar a day ago.
Speaking about Ayush's contribution during the Covid-19 pandemic, Modi said, "During this time 'AYUSH Kada' and other similar products have helped people boost the immunity of many.”
He also announced the launch of Ayush Export Promotion Council and four Ayush ICT initiatives which includes Ayush Information Hub, AyuSoft, Ayush Next and Ayush GIS.The Chief of WHO emphasised the areas of developments. "Long term strategic investments and government commitment needed to support innovation, innovators.
The government needs to develop traditional medicine in a sustainable way, bringing traditional medicine to market must make sure communities that gave this knowledge also benefit out of it.”
Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said,"According to the WHO, 80 per cent of people in the world use traditional medicine. The knowledge of this medicine should not only be respected but should also be protected and promoted."
According to the Government data, in 2014, the Ayush sector which was less than USD 3 billion, has increased to more than USD18 billion presently.
Union Ayush Minister Sarbananda Sonowal added that the Ministry of Ayush and the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) are developing entrepreneurship among ayurveda and other traditional medicines professionals.
The Ministry of Ayush has also developed the Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP) to encourage young entrepreneurs to establish startups in Ayush in line with the Startup India Initiative of the Prime Minister, he said.
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel lauded PM Modi's efforts in Yoga and traditional medicine.. It's time to now move toward preventive medicine."
On the occasion, the Prime Minister also distributed awards to the winners of 'Ayush Start-up Challenge’ organised by Delhi-based All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in association with Start-up India.