MP CM Mohan Yadav hints at Ayush interns stipend hike, opens 25 hospitals
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, signalled that the state government may soon revise the stipend paid to Ayush interns, following demands to bring their remuneration on par with that of conventional medical students. The announcement came during a state-level event held at Pandit Khushilal Sharma Government Autonomous Ayurveda College and Institute in Bhopal on the occasion of the 11th National Ayurveda Day.
Stipend Revision on the Cards
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Yadav said he would issue appropriate directions to Ayush and Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar regarding the stipend demand. While no specific figure or timeline was announced, the statement is being read as a policy commitment, given the public forum in which it was made. Ayush interns have reportedly long sought parity with allopathic medical interns, whose stipend is typically higher.
₹185.50 Crore Infrastructure Push
At the same event, Yadav inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 25 new Ayush hospitals, dispensaries and college buildings constructed at a combined cost of ₹185.50 crore. According to officials, the projects include 12 AYUSH buildings and a new Ayurveda college in Dindori, with the Dindori projects alone costing ₹102 crore. The Chief Minister also opened the Herbal Garden of State Importance at Pandit Khushilal Sharma Ayurveda College to the public.
Ayush Wellness Tourism Gets a New Identity
Yadav announced that Ayush wellness tourism centres across the state would henceforth be known as 'Ayush Arogyam Dham'. Wellness centres are also being established at major tourist destinations as part of a broader push to integrate Ayush-based healthcare with tourism. The Chief Minister noted that yoga and Ayurveda have received renewed global recognition, citing the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Sector Budget and Institutional Expansion
Yadav said the Ayush Department's budget in Madhya Pradesh had grown 16-fold compared with 2002-03, and that the state government had begun establishing nine new Ayurveda colleges. Minister Parmar noted that the state had only seven Ayurveda colleges and two colleges covering homoeopathy and Unani medicine until 2023. With eight new Ayurveda colleges under construction and one more receiving central approval, the total number of AYUSH colleges across the three systems now stands at 18, Parmar said. More than 1,700 Ayurveda dispensaries are currently operational across the state, and public yoga classes have also been introduced.
The state's rapid institutional expansion in the Ayush sector, backed by a significant budget increase, positions Madhya Pradesh as one of the more aggressive adopters of traditional medicine infrastructure among Indian states. Whether the promised stipend revision translates into a formal order — and at what level — will be closely watched by Ayush interns and medical education bodies.