The Chief Minister's Office of Uttar Pradesh announced on Sunday, 25 May 2026, that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chaired a review meeting of the Ayush Department in Lucknow on Sunday evening, issuing directives for the effective implementation of the 'Ayush Health and Wellness Niti-2026' (Ayush Health and Wellness Policy-2026).

Context

At the meeting, CM Yogi directed officials to develop Uttar Pradesh into a prominent wellness destination at both national and international levels by integrating Ayush, Yoga, Panchakarma, and Naturopathy services. He underlined that the state's traditional medicine ecosystem must be coordinated into a coherent offering capable of attracting visitors and investors from across the country and abroad.

The Chief Minister stated, as shared by his office, that Ayush services should be linked with 'modern management, quality standards and tourism' to generate fresh momentum for employment and investment — a signal that the policy envisions wellness not merely as a healthcare measure but as an economic driver.

Policy Backdrop

The push builds on a decade-long national framework: the Ministry of AYUSH was established by the Government of India in November 2014 to mainstream traditional medicine systems, followed by the launch of the National AYUSH Mission in 2015 to strengthen infrastructure and service delivery across states. Uttar Pradesh, as India's most populous state, has been a significant beneficiary of mission funding and has steadily expanded its network of Ayush hospitals and wellness centres.

CM Yogi Adityanath, in office since 2017, has consistently positioned traditional medicine as a pillar of the state's health and tourism strategy. The Ayush Health and Wellness Niti-2026 represents the latest articulation of that vision, formalising linkages between healthcare delivery, quality benchmarks, and the tourism economy.

Stakeholders and Impact

The directive has direct implications for AYUSH practitioners — Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy professionals — who stand to benefit from upgraded infrastructure and a larger patient and tourist base. Wellness entrepreneurs, healthcare investors, and local hospitality businesses are also in focus, as the policy explicitly targets employment generation and private investment in the sector.

Uttar Pradesh's approach mirrors strategies already adopted by states such as Kerala and Maharashtra, which have successfully linked traditional medicine with modern quality certification and tourism circuits to attract both domestic and foreign visitors. A comparable model in UP could leverage the state's existing spiritual and heritage tourism infrastructure — including destinations such as Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya — to create integrated wellness corridors.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to specific timelines, budget allocations, and implementation guidelines under the Ayush Health and Wellness Niti-2026. Observers will watch for public-private partnership tenders for wellness infrastructure, accreditation frameworks for Ayush facilities, and measurable targets for tourist arrivals and jobs created in the sector.

If the policy framework translates into on-ground investment and quality-certified wellness centres, Uttar Pradesh could emerge as a credible alternative to established wellness tourism hubs — reshaping how India's largest state is perceived in the global health-tourism market.