New Delhi, Sep 16 (UNI) A Bill seeking to make the Institute of Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda in Jamnagar as a institute of national importance on wednesday got the nod of Parliament with the Rajya Sabha passing it by voice vote.
The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill 2020 was moved for pasage by Health Minister Harshvardhan.
The Bill, which was introduced in the Upper House on Tuesday, has already been passed by the Lok Sabha in last session.
Replying to the discussion on the Bill in the House, the Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said that despite being a doctor of modern medicine, even he practice ayurveda and other traditional medicine and thanked all Members who participated in debate.
On the selection of the Jamnagar Institute for national importance as most of the Opposition sought the Government's clarification why the other Ayurveda institutes were not picked up for granting status of ‘Institute of National Importance’, he said that the Government has respect for other institutes as well and there was no bias for other Ayurveda institutes.
He further said that the Jamnagar institute is the oldest set up by the Government and only one which collaborating institution for World Health Organisation (WHO).
"Jamnagar institute is the number one institution which deserves this status. This is a humble beginning. After other institutions further upgrade themselves in terms of research, they will also be considered for national importance,"Dr Harsh Vardhan said.
Earlier, initiating the debate on second day, the AITC Member Shantanu Sen said that there are many institutes of ayurveda in the country but the Government has not considering those, In Bengal, we have an institute which was founded in 1916. He further said that these institutes in other parts of the country have been in poor conditions, but the Government is focused on institutes in Gujarat only.
Samajwadi Party Member Prof Ram Gopal Yadav questioned the source of the funding for the institutes. He also sought a brief discussion on the public health guidelines issued by ICMR with regard to the use of masks and social distancing. Prof Yadav also said that the Centre should extend financial help to the States in fighting this pandemic.
Responding to his query on whether he could take off his mask while speaking, the Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said that the ICMR Director told him that it was best to wear masks.
Biju Janata Dal MP Prashanta Nanda said that strengthening of Ayurveda will reduce government expenditure on healthcare while DMK Member M Shanmugam expressed his displeasure over granting the status of national importance to an institute, once again in the "favoured State" of Gujarat through this Bill. He also asked the Government the reason behind picking Gujarat when there are existing institutes with better facilities in other States and also said that the Government was letting down Siddha medicine that hails from Tamil Nadu.
AIADMK MP M Thambidurai said that there should be an institute of national importance in every state, not just Gujarat and the Government should promote Siddha,Unani and other traditional system of medicine in India.
Giving his view on this Bill, CPI(M)’s KK Ragesh asked why Kerala dwas not considered by the Government when such a decision was made, since the State is the hub for Ayurvedic medicine.He also said that he was not opposed to the Jamnagar institute, but Kerala should have been given an institute of national importance for ayurveda.
RJD Member Manoj Jha said that the way the ayurveda has been misused in wake of Corona, the Government should take steps to prevent these misuse.
NCP MP from Maharashtra Dr Fauzia Khan wondered if it might be more cost-effective to improve existing institutes rather than establishing a new one. She said that the choice of Gujarat again has led to eyebrows being raised.
CPI MP Binoy Viswam said that it was` important to preserve the biodiversity and environmental integrity for proper development of ayurveda. Ayurveda cannot thrive without preserving the ecosystem, he added.
Bodoland People's Front MP from Assam Biswajit Daimary asks the government to make a similar ayurveda institute of national importance in the North East.
YSR Congress Party Member Vijaysai Reddy,Veer Singh of BSP,RCP Singh of JD (U) and independent Member Dr Subhash Chandra also participated in this debate.
Once this Bill becomes an Act, the Institute of Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Shree Gulabkunverba Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Jamnagar and the Indian Institute of Ayurvedic Pharmaceutical Sciences will be merged.
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