Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: An ambitious plan of the Central government to integrate traditional Indian healing practices into mainstream healthcare in the form of National Ayush Mission (NAM) is on its way to becoming functional in the state.
According to officials of Ayush (an acronym of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) directorate, the governing and executive bodies for NAM have already been formed and the proposal of the mission sent to the Centre, which has in return sanctioned a sum of `17.66 crore to the state. However, a society combining both the bodies is yet to be formed without which NAM cannot become a reality in the state.
“The two important bodies have been formed. The governing body will be headed by the chief secretary of the state while the executive body will be headed by the director of health services. However, a society combining both bodies is necessary for the functioning of NAM for which only the registration part is left. Once the Centre approves the society, NAM will start functioning in the state,” said Basudev Bahinipati, Ayush director.
Bahinipati added the mission is expected to become functional by March this year, as per the deadline. “The deadline for the functioning of NAM was set for March, and we are on track and expect to meet the deadline by that time,” said Bahinipati.
However, after a formal declaration of NAM by the Central government in October last year, state officials were optimistic that the mission will be functional by December, but latest developments have set the NAM back by about three months, said officials.
