The development of Ayush sector is stagnant in Maharashtra as the industry, healthcare and education are being currently handled by different bodies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to have a single regulating body for this sector which can look after the entire Ayush system in Maharashtra, according to a senior official of the Maharashtra Ayush department.

Presently, the Ayush healthcare sector is handled by the Maharashtra Public Healthcare Services, Ayush education is looked after by the Maharashtra Ayush department and Ayush industry is regulated by the Maharashtra FDA which has a separate department for Ayush.

The official says, “If Ayush has to be prioritised in Maharashtra, the state is in urgent need of a department called Indian System of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISMH), so that everything comes under one roof. In Maharashtra, there is a requirement for commissioner Ayush and director general of Ayush post who has the authority to look after all departments of Ayush including industry, healthcare and education.”

“Though the departments are interlinked we cannot interfere in the work of other departments and delay in the formation of state Ayush society is the best example. We have also written to the chief minister of Maharashtra for the formation of ISMH department in the state, so that there is a development of Ayush sector in Maharashtra. Most of the southern states of India have ISMH department which is one of the reasons for the development of Ayush sector in southern India,” he added.

In the last meeting to review the status of funds withdrawal from the state treasury and utilisation of grant in aid released during 2014-15, the joint secretary of Union Ayush ministry was informed that the Maharashtra state Ayush society is still under the process of formation. It was discussed to bring into the notice of the chief secretary about the urgent requirement of forming a nodal agency for looking after the whole Ayush in the state thereby making way for administrative integration of various aspects of Ayush including Ayush medical education, public health and quality control of drugs.

Most of the states have single regulating bodies for Ayush, just to name few of them are Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Gujarat.