New Delhi, Feb 2 (NationPress) The announcements in the Union Budget bridge health policy with rural livelihoods, export growth, youth employment, and entrepreneurship. This move strengthens India’s ambition to be the global hub for evidence-based holistic healthcare, according to Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav on Monday.

Celebrating the Budget provisions that bolster the Ayush ecosystem, he remarked that these initiatives echo the government’s steadfast dedication to fostering a holistic, inclusive, and internationally competitive healthcare framework, with Ayush as a cornerstone of integrative health.

In a series of groundbreaking proposals, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced initiatives aimed at enhancing education, research, quality assurance, global leadership, medical value tourism, and the development of a skilled workforce in the Ayush sector.

As per Jadhav, these initiatives reinforce India’s goal to position traditional medicine as a significant contributor to preventive healthcare, economic growth, and global leadership in wellness.

A plan is underway to establish three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda (AIIAs), which will provide high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate education, advanced research, and tertiary care services.

These institutes are anticipated to raise academic standards and enhance evidence-based integrative care nationwide.

The Budget also suggests upgrading Ayush pharmacies and drug testing laboratories to comply with higher certification benchmarks.

According to the minister, this advancement will improve product quality, increase consumer confidence, and prepare for exports, while also benefiting farmers cultivating medicinal plants and MSMEs involved in processing and manufacturing.

The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre at Jamnagar is set to be enhanced to boost research collaboration, international training, and policy discourse—establishing India as the global knowledge hub for traditional medicine.

Furthermore, Ayush Centres will be integrated into five proposed Regional Medical Value Tourism Hubs, creating comprehensive healthcare destinations that blend modern medical treatment with traditional therapies, wellness services, and rehabilitation support.

Significantly, the incorporation of yoga and wellness competencies into NSQF-aligned caregiver training programmes—aimed at 1.5 lakh caregivers in the coming year—will further mainstream Ayush-related skills within the expanding care economy, enhancing preventive and geriatric care services.