The Government will set up an exclusive drug control department to facilitate R&D, monitor quality control and standardise the manufacturing of medicinal products of Ayurveda and other traditional Indian treatment systems, Union health and family welfare minister Dr Harsh Vardhan announced today.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Arogya Expo organised alongside the 6th World Ayurveda Congress at Pragati Maidan here, the Minister said under the newly created Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) Mission the Centre would provide funding support to states wanting to set up manufacturing facilities and create manpower for the traditional medicine industry.

“The chief objective of the mission is to encourage integration of Ayush with modern medicine and create a holistic healthcare system that can be emulated globally and which will achieve the universal goal of Health for All,” he said. “Ayurveda is not just a matter of sentiment for us. We work with scientific minds and this government is aggressively focused on research.”

The Arogya Expo which will continue until November 9 features 400 stalls set up by leading traditional medicine manufacturers from around the country. It also has 20 specialty clinics offering free consultation and medicines to visitors.

The sixth edition of the World Ayurveda Congress, which will be inaugurated tomorrow (Friday) by Lok Sabha Speaker Smt Sumitra Mahajan, has ‘Ayurveda and Health Challenges’ as its focal theme. It is being organised by the Department of Ayush, in collaboration with the World Ayurveda Foundation and the Delhi Government.

Dr Harsh Vardhan said the government, which has allocated Rs.5,000 crore to the Ayush Mission in 12th five-year plan, is keen to partner with states in creating state-of-the-art research and development facilities, drug testing laboratories and herbal gardens that will help meet growing industry and market demand for quality raw material and products.

There is growing acceptability for Ayurveda globally and several nations have shown interest in partnering India to popularise it locally, Dr Harsh Vardhan said. “The government has signed MoUs with several countries. We already have an all-expenses-paid seat reservation scheme for students from South East Asian countries wanting to study at our Ayurveda colleges.”