Govt strengthening preventive healthcare through Yoga, Naturopathy: Union AYUSH Minister

New Delhi: Union Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav on Monday said yoga and naturopathy are increasingly being recognised as effective complementary approaches for managing non-communicable diseases and mental health disorders, thereby supporting preventive and integrative healthcare systems.   

Jadhav made the remarks while chairing the fourth meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Ayush.

The meeting focused on "Yoga and Naturopathy in India" and deliberated on the government's initiatives to strengthen preventive healthcare, wellness promotion and the global outreach of India's traditional systems of healthcare, according to an Ayush Ministry statement.

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Welcoming the members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee, Jadhav said yoga and naturopathy are India's timeless contributions to holistic and preventive healthcare and are now emerging as important pillars of the global wellness movement, it said, the press release stated.

He noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Ayush has been promoting these systems as effective approaches for preventive, promotive and lifestyle-based healthcare across the country. 

Referring to the declaration of June 21 as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, the minister described it as a historic achievement for India's cultural diplomacy and global leadership, the statement said.

He noted that the International Day of Yoga is now celebrated in more than 190 countries, connecting millions of people worldwide with yoga and strengthening awareness about holistic health and overall well-being.

"Yoga and naturopathy are increasingly being recognised as effective complementary approaches for managing non-communicable diseases, stress and mental health disorders, thereby supporting preventive and integrative healthcare," he said.

Highlighting the sector's growth, he informed the committee that more than 70 Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences (BNYS) colleges and over 5,000 yoga training institutes are currently functioning across the country.

The minister further highlighted that the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga has trained over six lakh yoga volunteers, while more than seven lakh yoga professionals and volunteers have been certified under the Yoga Certification Board framework.

Reaffirming the government's commitment, he said that yoga and naturopathy are contributing significantly to India's wellness economy, employment generation, wellness tourism and global cultural outreach, the statement said.

The meeting concluded with members reaffirming their support for further strengthening yoga and naturopathy as globally recognised systems for wellness and preventive healthcare.

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