Governor KK Paul said that Uttarakhand with its vast herbal wealth has immense potential for becoming an Ayush State. Uttarakhand specialised in the two prominent parts of the Ayush system (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy), namely, Ayurveda and Yoga.
In his address at a conference on AYUSH UTTARAKHAND (Ayush in the lap of Himalayas: Towards Holistic Resurrection of Healthy Society) organised by PHD Chamber, Paul said that the AYUSH system of medicine offers a cure for most ailments and needs to be developed to its full potential in Uttarakhand. “The State’s economy will benefit greatly from this,” he said.
The State had a long-standing relationship with Yoga and Ayurveda, being endowed with a great wealth of medicinal plants and traditional medicinal knowledge, Paul said.
In the hills of Uttarakhand, medicinal plants are being used for treatment of various diseases and there is a need to preserve these traditions, he stressed. “Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy must be given prominence and local people as well as tourists must get the opportunity to avail of these treatments,” he said.
“Haridwar has traditionally been the centre of all Ayurvedic activity, but now, for the past few years, Rishikesh has also evolved as an important destination for those seeking Ayurvedic treatment and knowledge,” the Governor said.
Paul said that herbs and medicinal plants could be linked with industry requirements in an integrated manner and create employment opportunities in the hills. “Uttarakhand also has the capacity to become the world capital of Yoga as it is the birth place of Yoga and there are more than twenty thousand trained Yoga instructors in the state,” he said.
He said said the confidence of the people in the Himalayan heritage of AYUSH must be restored by reinforcing the scientific sanctity of the traditional Indian health system.
He further said that Uttarakhand Ayurveda University along with UCOST needs to play an important role to promote this sector in the State, he added. He said more Ayurvedic centres that suit the budget of the middle-class Indian tourists should b set up. He also stressed on providing the treatment in comfortable environs. “With this , the growing trend of “wellness tourism” in Uttarakhand will gather momentum and take it towards truly becoming an Ayush Pradesh,” the Governor said.
Appreciating the organiser of the conference, he said that PHD Chamber had brought several organisations on a single platform and would enable the creation of a holistic approach for the development of AYUSH in the state of Uttarakhand. later, he released a souvenir.