new Delhi. The Rajya Sabha has passed the Teaching and Research Institute in Ayurveda Bill. The bill is about merging three Ayurveda institutions into one institute – ‘Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda’ (Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda). The bill declares the institute to be of national importance. The bill was introduced by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in the absence of AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik. Naik is infected with Corona and undergoing treatment.
Harshvardhan said, “The ministry is giving deemed university status to institutions in different parts of the country and the matter has been referred to the UGC and the Ministry of Education.”
The minister said that there are 103 institutes of national importance, but there was none in Ayurveda. He said that the Jamnagar Institute has been chosen because it is the oldest institute in the country, which was established by the Government of India in 1956.
Several MPs from TRS, Bodoland People’s Front, AIADMK, CPI (M), BSP and other parties demanded similar institutions in other states.
Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said, “The minister should consider this keeping in mind the demand of such institutions in every state.”
Congress leader L. Hanumanthia objected during the discussion. “Why Gujarat is given so much importance and Kerala should also be given prominence, which is a pioneer in Ayurveda,” he said.
AIADMK member Thambidurai supported the bill.
Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal raised the issue of mental health and said that mental counseling was needed in Kovid’s time.
RJD MP Manoj Jha demanded a regulator for Ayurvedic medicines so that there is no misuse. Jha cited claims made by Ramdev that he had manufactured the drug for Kovid-19.
The bills are about merging three institutions – The Institute of Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Sri Gulabkunwarba Ayurveda College and the Indian Institute of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences. They are all in Jamnagar.
The proposed institute will be located on the campus of Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar.
The bill states that the institute will consist of 15 members and the director of the ‘Institute of Post Graduate Teaching and Richers in Ayurveda’ (Jamnagar) will be appointed as the first director of the institute.
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