AYUSH Ministry to host 2-day National Summit to boost capacity building

The upcoming summit aims to provide a platform for detailed discussions on State-Specific Notes and Feedback Notes received from State/UT officials, which also encompass grassroots-level inputs. Such a participatory approach is intended to strengthen and strategically expand the National Ayush Mission (NAM)—a flagship program that promotes holistic healthcare by integrating Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy systems.

The upcoming summit is the final event in a series of six thematic summits emphasized by the Prime Minister during the 4th Chief Secretaries’ Conference in 2025. These summits, held throughout the year, bring together officers from the Central Government and all States and Union Territories for focused deliberations on key themes, encouraging participation across all levels, including junior officers, to enhance capacity building.

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In line with this vision, NITI Aayog identified six thematic areas for the summits. The “National Ayush Mission and Capacity Building in States” was selected as the sixth and final theme, with the Ministry of Ayush designated as the nodal ministry, supported by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

As per directives from NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Ayush has undertaken extensive preparatory activities including orientation sessions for all States and UTs and dissemination of the Concept Note (dated 6th May 2025).

To facilitate focused dialogue, six thematic sub-groups have been constituted, each addressing critical aspects of the mission and comprising 6-7 States/UTs. The sub-themes along with the working group States and lead Nodal States for coordination are:

♦ Financial Management, Monitoring & Evaluation, Project Management: Rajasthan, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Chandigarh, West Bengal, Lakshadweep. Nodal States: Rajasthan & Mizoram.

♦ Organizational Structure Review, including HR Strengthening & Capacity Building: Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Goa, Bihar, Delhi, Nagaland. Nodal States: Madhya Pradesh & Sikkim.

♦ Integration of Ayush with Modern Health Care Services, including Public Health Programs: Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Odisha, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh. Nodal States: Chhattisgarh & Arunachal Pradesh.

♦ Quality Services under Ayush Facilities including Infrastructure, IPHS Ayush Standards, Healthcare Delivery: Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Tripura, Manipur. Nodal States: Uttar Pradesh & Himachal Pradesh.

♦ Quality Assurance of Ayush Medicine and its Procurement System including Branding and Packaging: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Puducherry, Assam. Nodal States: Karnataka & Assam.

♦ IT-Enabled Digital Services in different sectors: Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Daman & Diu, Kerala. Nodal States: Kerala & Maharashtra.

The summit is expected to be graced by senior officials such as Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, Director Generals, Mission Directors, and Commissioners of Ayush from across the country. Eminent experts and panellists with distinguished credentials in the fields of Ayurveda, research, health policy, and digital governance have been invited to enrich the sessions. The list of experts includes Dr. V.K. Paul (Member, NITI Aayog), J L N Shastri (Ayurvedic Scholar), Dr. V. M. Katoch (Former Director General, ICMR), Prof. Bhushan Patwardhan, and many others.

The themes and corresponding State/UT groupings have been carefully outlined, covering areas from financial management and organizational reform to quality assurance and IT-enabled services. Each sub-theme is coordinated by two Nodal States, ensuring focused and effective deliberations.

This Departmental Summit reinforces the Government of India’s commitment to promoting Ayush systems as an integral part of the country’s healthcare architecture, enhancing accessibility, quality, and efficiency. It underscores the importance of capacity building at the State and UT levels to realize the full potential of the National Ayush Mission.

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