Guwahati, August 25: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the eight states of the North-eastern region, which is a treasure trove of economically-viable plants and herbs with medicinal properties, must strive to attain a status similar to that of Kerala in the field of tourism for traditional medicinal healing and cure.
“This would contribute towards growth of the tourism and hospitality industry and create a good number of employment opportunities in the region,” Sarma said, while attending the first-ever “Regional Review Meeting of North-Eastern States of India on AYUSH” organised by the National Ayush Mission, Assam, and the state’s health and family welfare department here.
Speaking at the event, Sarma said the North-eastern states could immensely contribute towards the further spread of practices such Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, unani and homeopathy among the residents of the country.
Referring to Ayurveda, yoga, among others, as time-tested practices, he said AYUSH was gradually rising in prominence with focus tilting towards holistic well-being.
The chief minister also stressed on the need to capitalise on the opportunities that have been created with the recent mainstreaming of AYUSH practices across the country.
He called upon the youth to make the best use of the entrepreneurial opportunities the AYUSH sector is offering, while adding that at present, as many as 40,000 units of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are involved in production of AYUSH-related items.
“The sector can accommodate a much greater number of production units owing to the steady increase in demand for such products,” he said.
Sarma however expressed concern at the trend of AYUSH doctors and practitioners often prescribing allopathic medicine to their patients.
“This can be attributed to a lack of pride regarding AYUSH among some of the practitioners of alternative and traditional forms of medicine,” he said, adding it has now been proven through various research works that traditional forms of treatments are highly effective and have no side-effects as often seen in the use of allopathic medicine.