Union AYUSH minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday announced a slew of major initiatives for the promotion of AYUSH at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh.

This is in continuation to the focussed approach to developing the AYUSH sector in the entire Northeast.

Speaking at the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Folk Medicine Research (NEIAFMR) at Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday, the minister announced an investment of Rs 53.72 crores to develop new infrastructure within the campus.

A new Ayurveda College with a student intake of 30 as well as a 60 bedded Ayurveda hospital will be set up inside the NEIAFMR campus at Pasighat bringing direct employment of 86 posts in addition to the existing capacity.

An academic block, a boys’ hostel, a girls’ hostel, a sports complex, etc are also being planned to be constructed in the near future.

“Folk medicine is the mixture of traditional healing practices and beliefs. In the Northeast, we have a strong culture of folk medicine that has not been preserved in a scientific way. We are now striving towards preserving as well as enriching this wonderful gift of medicine from the Vedic era that Mother Nature has bestowed upon us. I am happy to announce the establishment of a new Ayurveda College along with a hospital here. This is going to further strengthen our effort through NEIAFMR to preserve and further the rich traditional knowledge,” Sonowal said.

Elucidating about the future plans for the propagation of AYUSH sector in the Northeast region, Sonowal added, “Apart from strengthening our Ayurveda colleges in the region, a few other important institutes like Regional Raw Drug Repository (RRDR) & Museum, Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility (SAIF), State of Art Panchakarma Treatment & Research Centre, and Paramedical Teaching Centre are planned to be set up in the region in due course.”

The North Eastern Institute of Folk Medicine (NEIFM), Pasighat, which is renamed as North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Folk Medicine Research is an autonomous National Institute under the Ministry of AYUSH.

The establishment of the Institute, spread over an area of 40 acres, was approved by the Union Cabinet on  February 21, 2008.

NEIAFMR has been established with the goal to strengthen and develop traditional healthcare practices and for the benefit of the nation, with a special focus on the Northeastern region.

Avik Chakraborty is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dibrugarh. He can be reached at: [email protected]