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Union AYUSH ministry has planned to conduct 12 national Arogya fairs across the country during the financial year 2016-17 while aiming to reach out to people in smaller cities also.
"We organised eight Arogya fairs across the country during FY 2015-16. For the coming fiscal, we plan to have at least 12 such fairs across the nation," AYUSH minister Shripad Naik told PTI ahead of the Arogya fair scheduled in Goa between March 26-28.
He said since inception, the ministry has held 26 national Arogya fairs which have been getting tremendous response.
The ministry has been promoting Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy which are alternative forms of medicine.
Naik said the ministry has so far been hosting the fairs in the state capitals but will like to venture into other cities so that more people get access to it.
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"Initially we had it in the state capitals as doing so will cover majority of the state population but we want to go to the smaller cities too," Naik said.
"In Goa, we are hosting it in Panaji now but we will soon have it in Margao too," the minister added.
Naik said the ministry has propaganda (to spread awareness), research and infrastructure as the focus areas.
"In the Union Budget we have announced a scheme to set up AYUSH hospitals in each of the district across the country," Naik said.
"We expect that maximum states will benefit of having district hospital under AYUSH mission for which centre will bear 60% funding while local government will have to pitch in with 40%," he said.
Goa will have two such district hospitals, he said, adding AYUSH ministry will also set up All India National Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy in few states which would be 100% funded by the Centre.
"One such All India Institute is taking shape in Goa which will be completed in two years," the minister said.
The institute will also have diploma and degree courses on Yoga.
"This institute is very important considering Goa is a tourist state," he said.
The ministry has already began the procedure to set up the national institute at Dhargal village in North Goa.
