Health and ayurveda minister Rajeev Bindal launched geriatric care campaign through ayurveda in Shimla.  Bindal said that 85 posts of ayurvedic doctors have been sanctioned in the state and very shortly 154 vacant posts would be filled up.

Rajeev Bindal, health and ayurveda minister in Shimla launched geriatric Health care campaign through ayurveda in Himachal Pradesh (HP). Bindal announced that an Ayurvedic University would be established in the state after Gujarat and Rajasthan where 11 professors had been recently given appointments in Paprola Ayurvedic College, besides, it is being upgraded to 200 bedded hospital.

Bindal said that the government had sanctioned Rs 1 crore for creating infrastructural facilities in the college. He said that 85 posts of ayurvedic doctors have been sanctioned in the state and very shortly 154 vacant posts would be filled up. Bindal said that 25 per cent net Non-Performing Assets (NPA) would also be provided to ayurvedic doctors.

Bindal said that health care facilities are being provided through 1,200 ayurvedic health institutions in the state. He said that school health care programme is being associated with every ayurvedic institution, besides a programme to make the state anemia free. He said that ’panchkarma’ system of treatment is being popularised in the state. He directed principal secretary and director Ayurveda to ensure active participation of ayurvedic doctors in the implementation of all national health programmes.

Ayurveda minister said that there is a great possibility of herbal cultivation in the state, which would generate employment opportunities to our youth of the state. He said that in this connection Swami Ramdev had already had discussions with the officers of forest, agriculture, horticulture and ayurveda. He said that Swami Ramdev is keen to purchase herbal medicines at remunerative rates including Ghritkumari, Chhota Amla, Amrita etc. He said that ayurvedic doctors would be appointed in 74 community health centres. He also released a directory on the health institutions functioning in the state.

Dr Surender Kumar, advisor to Government of India said that this programme was launched in January this year (2008). However, the work of HP has been commendable being a nodal state in the country. He said that Rs 5 crore grant-in-aid has been provided to Paprola college whereas Rs 18 crore have been allocated under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and Rs 10 crore has been sanctioned for establishing Ayurvedic University in the state. He said that in case a pharmacy college and nursing ayurveda incorporated in the scheme the amount could be increased from Rs 10 crore to Rs 20 crore. He also informed that to upgrade 25-bed ayurvedic hospitals a sum of Rs 25 lakhs to Rs. 30 lakhs each grant-in -aid is provided. Whereas to upgrade 40-50 bedded hospitals Rs 50 lakhs to Rs 60 lakhs each grant-in-aid is provided.