RS nod to Bills on central councils for homoeopathy, Indian medicines

The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeks to further extend the time to form the Central Council of Homeopathy by a year, after exhausting two years for the purpose.

The Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeks a year's time to reconstitute the central council and provides for a board of directors to exercise its powers in the interim period.

Replying to a debate on the two bills, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the government is committed to providing affordable and easy healthcare facilities to every citizen.

He also defended the Centre's decision to bring ordinances, saying there was nothing "abnormal" and that governments have been taking this route, depending on the necessity.

Also Read: Lok Sabha approves National Commission for Homoeopathy, Indian Medicine Billls

Both the bills were introduced in the Upper House of Parliament on September 14, the first day of the ongoing Monsoon Session, which is being held amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill seeks to amend the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973, and replaces the Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, promulgated on April 24.

The 1973 Act was amended in 2018 to provide for the supersession of the Central Council of Homoeopathy.

The council was required to be reconstituted within a year from the date of its supersession.

This provision was amended in 2019 for the reconstitution of the council in two years.

In the interim period, the Centre constituted a board of governors to exercise the powers of the council.

The bill seeks to amend the Act to increase the period for the supersession of the council from two to three years.

The Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020 amends the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970. The Act provides for the constitution of a central council, which regulates the education and practice of the Indian medicine system, including ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy.

The bill replaces an ordinance promulgated on April 24.

The proposed legislation provides that the central council will stand superseded from April 24 (the date of promulgation of the ordinance).

The council will be reconstituted within a year from the date of its supersession.

In the interim period, the Centre will constitute a board of governors, which will exercise the powers of the council.

Health Minister Vardhan said: "I want to reiterate that the intention of the government in bringing these two bills is very transparent and clear. There is no intention to impose anything".

The minister said the government is undertaking the "most useful reforms" in medical education and Indian Medicine Systems.

Vardhan said the government was committed to ensure high-quality health facilities as well as easy availability of all systems of medicine.

He said the Indian Medicine Systems are traditional practices that have a scientific basis and added that the government was committed to promoting them.

Vardhan also informed the House that a separate medical commission would be established for yoga and naturopathy.

The Congress slammed the government for the "inordinate" delay in constituting the Central Council of Homoeopathy, saying it is taking away the autonomy of such autonomous bodies, as it has done in the past with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the University Grants Commission.

Initiating the debate on the two bills, Ripun Bora (Congress) raised objections against the Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which is being discussed simultaneously with the Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

Supporting the two bills, JD (U) member Ram Chandra Prasad Singh said while homeopathy was started in Germany, people in every corner of India are taking benefit from it.

K Somaprasad (CPI-M ) said there are many unqualified homeopathy doctors who are practicing all over India, but here is no effective regular mechanism to find them.

Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD) suggested that there should be a review of the AYUSH Ministry to find out its achievements since it came into being in 2014.

Binoy Viswam (CPI) said the government is talking about the homeopathy council and other councils.

"Both of them are corrupt. So, they came with a treatment of Board of Governors. Are they free from corruption? ... They are also equally involved and immersed in corruption. All the selections are mainly made by the government itself," he alleged.

Continuing the debate, Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar (TDP) opined that the Indian system of medicines has to be re-oriented in such a way that they can cure lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, thyroid problems, and heart-related problems, among others.

AAP member Sanjay Singh said the total budget for the AYUSH Ministry is Rs 2,122 crore, and of this only Rs 138 crore is for homeopathy which is not sufficient.

Referring to the Indian Medical Central Council (Amendment) Bill, L Hanumanthaiah (Congress) said it is a stop-gap arrangement.

"The bill is a stop-gap arrangement to temporarily supersede the Central Council of Indian Medicine owing to its poor functioning," he said.