To ensure unhindered availability of Ayurveda medicinal products across the state, the Kerala excise department will soon make changes in the Forms SP-VI and SP-VII licences issued for possession and sale of arishtams and aasavams (spirituous preparations), said state Excise Minister K Babu.

These licences are issued under Rule 11 of the Spirituous Preparations (Control) Rules, and the government is now making changes (amendments) in certain provisions in order to support the Ayurveda sector.

Currently a wholesale licence for possession and sale of these spirituous preparations, (arishtaasavams), is issued in Form SP-VI for which a doctor’s presence is required. The government will make changes in this too. Whereas, the SP-VII is given for retail purposes and the concerned Rule would be liberalised in favor of the doctors.

But, the L-2 licence is issued only for manufacturing for commercial purpose and government does not want to loosen it for favouring the manufacturers, he added.

The minister said this while delivering the inaugural address at the 15th state conference of the Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) at Kollam in Kerala. He said all these changes are made on the request of the Ayurveda community in the state.

According to him, the government has also certain plans to regulate the preparation and sale of all arishtams and aasavams, and the measures would be liberal. Government will allow to utilise the licence only for bona fide production and sale. Further, he said the existing excise laws were very old and they required amendments. When amendment comes, it will not be in anyway a hindrance to the professional services of Ayurveda doctors or manufacturers.

According to the new policy, an Ayurveda doctor can have licence to keep and sell spirituous preparations in five different places, whether it is in his home town or nearby districts. At present the licence allows the holder to dispense the medicines only at one place. The minister has commented that this is in addition to the increase made in the quantity of the stock allowed. As per the new decision, one Ayurveda doctor can keep upto one hundred litres of arishtams and aasavams. Previously the quantity allowed was only five litres.

It is time to re-constitute the expert committee operating under the excise department. The excise minister said one doctor from the ayurveda community would be nominated into the committee. He assured the members of AMAI that the government will solve all the problems faced by the Ayurveda community and sought their support.