Gujarat govt, ITRA ink MoU to strengthen Ayurveda education

The Gujarat government has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda that will pave the way to strengthen the education system in all Ayurveda branches. The tie-up brings all institutions on the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda campus in Jamnagar under the ITRA.

The memorandum of understanding was signed in the presence of Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, AYUSH Secretary Rajesh Kotecha, Manoj Agarwal, additional chief secretary of the health and family welfare department, Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Director Anup Thakar, and HP Jhala of the Gujarat Ayurveda University.

Patel underscored the importance of the memorandum of understanding and said it would strengthen Ayurveda. He added that the arrangement will, in due course, open new avenues in education, medicine, and research.

Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda is the only institution functioning under the Union Ministry of AYUSH with the Institute of National Importance status.

The ninth five-year plan saw the integration of AYUSH with western medicine, taking up different aspects of the system on a standalone basis. After the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, the focus on AYUSH healthcare increased further. That same year, it became a standalone ministry.

On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the National AYUSH Mission till March 2026 as a central scheme in an effort to relieve the burden on India’s healthcare system. The entire project will cost a whopping Rs 4,603 crore. Of the total amount, the Centre will cover Rs 3,000 crore, while the states will bear the rest. The scheme will see the AYUSH sector expanded to promote holistic health. The scheme will promote traditional medicinal systems, while AYUSH wellness centres, hospitals, medical colleges, and dispensaries will be set up and upgraded.