Efforts to integrate traditional medicines with allopathy: Government

"We hope to bring integration of types of methods, including traditional, for best results... We have started it as a pilot project. If successful, we will introduce it in other parts of the country," he said.

He said a new building of Central Ayurveda Research Institute for Cancer research is soon coming up at Worli in Mumbai.

The Ayush Ministry is financing states through National Medicinal Plantation Board (NMPB) under centrally-sponsored schemes for plantation of medicinal plants across the country, Naik said.

Under one scheme, 100 per cent money is financed by Ayush Ministry, while in the other, 60 per cent funding is made by the Centre and the rest by states for promotion of medicinal plantations under National Ayush Mission, he said.

The Ministry has spent 97 per cent of its budget during 2015-16 and states' share of 100 per cent has been disbursed.

In his written reply, he said different research councils are looking after research and development activities in area of traditional system of medicines and a total of 10 herbal medicine research centres are functioning in the country.