North India Statesman
In a major boost to traditional medicine and medical education infrastructure, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav announced that the state is establishing nine new Ayurveda colleges as part of a comprehensive strategy to expand AYUSH healthcare services. Addressing the state-level celebrations on the occasion of the 11th National Ayurveda Day at the Pandit Khushilal Sharma Government Autonomous Ayurveda College and Institute in Bhopal, the Chief Minister unveiled 25 new AYUSH infrastructure projects worth over ₹185 crore. In welcome news for young medical practitioners, Dr. Yadav also signaled that the state government is moving swiftly to approve a long-pending stipend hike for AYUSH intern doctors.
Major Infrastructure Boost: ₹102 Crore Dindori College and ₹185 Crore Outlay
Underlining the state’s aggressive push toward integrating traditional and modern healthcare, Dr. Yadav inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 25 AYUSH buildings, specialized hospitals, and academic facilities constructed at an aggregate cost of ₹185.50 crore.
A central highlight of the event was the formal inauguration of a newly constructed Ayurveda college in the tribal-dominated district of Dindori, built at an investment of ₹102 crore. The state administration noted that the institution will dramatically enhance access to specialized Ayurvedic tertiary care and professional medical education in the tribal belt. Additionally, 12 newly completed AYUSH healthcare buildings built at ₹4.70 crore were formally dedicated to the public, while foundation stones were laid for 13 upcoming hospitals and institutional complexes valued at ₹179 crore.
The Chief Minister also declared that all AYUSH Wellness Tourism Centres across the state will henceforth be designated as “AYUSH Arogyam Dham” and opened the prestigious Herbal Garden of State Importance at the Pandit Khushilal Sharma campus to public visitors.
Imminent Stipend Hike for AYUSH Interns
Responding directly to sustained representations and peaceful demonstrations by undergraduate intern doctors seeking parity with their allopathic (MBBS) counterparts, Chief Minister Yadav assured that positive action is imminent. Intern doctors had recently submitted memorandums demanding that their monthly allowance be revised upward from the existing ₹9,383 to ₹21,500 to offset escalating living and commuting expenses incurred during intensive hospital postings.
Confirming that high-level deliberations had already taken place, Dr. Yadav announced that clear instructions have been issued to Higher Education and AYUSH Minister Inder Singh Parmar to formalize the decision. The Chief Minister assured the student community that AYUSH interns would receive official “good news” regarding their revised allowance very soon.
Expanding the Footprint: 9 New Ayurveda Colleges Underway
Reflecting on the historical evolution of traditional medicine in central India, Dr. Yadav noted that the region’s first Ayurveda college was founded in Gwalior in 1916, subsequently followed by public institutions in Jabalpur, Indore, Ujjain, Burhanpur, and Bhopal. He highlighted that the state’s AYUSH budget has grown 16-fold compared to financial levels in 2002–03.
Elaborating on the academic roadmap, AYUSH Minister Inder Singh Parmar stated that while Madhya Pradesh had seven Ayurveda colleges alongside two institutions dedicated to Homeopathy and Unani systems until 2023, the total number of operational AYUSH colleges has climbed to nine. With eight new Ayurveda colleges currently under advanced construction and an additional institute sanctioned by the Central Government, the state’s network across all three systems of traditional medicine is on track to touch 18 colleges, supported by over 1,770 functioning Ayurveda dispensaries statewide.
Global Revival and Preventive Healthcare Philosophy
Emphasizing the civilizational roots of Ayurveda, the Chief Minister remarked that Indian households have practiced Ayurvedic wellness principles for millennia through kitchen herbs, daily dietary habits, and seasonal routines. Stressing the imperative of preventive wellness, Dr. Yadav urged citizens to embrace Yoga, pranayama, and holistic nutrition to build immunity rather than relying solely on corrective treatments after falling ill. He also observed that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, traditional Indian medical knowledge is receiving unprecedented global validation, citing the historic installation of Maharishi Sushruta’s bronze statue at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in Scotland as an international tribute to the “Father of Surgery”.
