Lok Sabha Question No. 2149 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-01
Subject: Ayurvedic Doctors in PHCs
Ministry: AYUSH
Asked by: Dr. Mohammad Jawed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2149

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2025

## Ayurvedic Doctors in PHCs

## 2149. Dr. Mohammad Jawed:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of sanctioned posts for Ayurvedic doctors at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the country State/UT-wise and district-wise, particularly in the State of Bihar;

(b) the current strength of Ayurvedic doctors serving in various healthcare facilities across the country, State/UT-wise;

(c) whether the demand for Ayurvedic treatment has increased in the country during the last five years and if so, the details thereof; and

(d)  the  initiatives/measures  being  undertaken  by  the  Government  to  promote  and  popularise Ayurvedic treatment among the general public?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) & (b) Public Health being a State subject, the primary responsibility for sanctioning of posts of  Ayurvedic  doctors  in  all  categories  comes  under  the  purview  of  respective  State/UT Governments and accordingly, no such data is maintained by Central Government.

Further, Government of India has adopted a strategy of Co-location of Ayush facilities at Primary  Health  Centres  (PHCs),  Community  Health  Centres  (CHCs)  and  District  Hospitals (DHs), thus enabling the choice to the patients for different systems of medicines under a single window. The engagement of contractual Ayush doctors/ paramedics and their training is being supported by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare under National Health Mission (NHM), while the support for Ayush infrastructure, equipment/ furniture and medicines is being provided by the Ministry of Ayush under National Ayush Mission (NAM), as shared responsibilities. The State/UT-wise status of co-located Ayush facilities at PHCs, is furnished at Annexure.

Under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), 119 Ayurveda Medical Officers are posted against 121 sanctioned posts.

(c)  &  (d)  Yes.  Ministry  of  Ayush  is  implementing  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  National Ayush  Mission  (NAM)  since  2014-15  through  State/UT  Governments  for  development, promotion and popularise Ayush systems including Ayurveda to create awareness among people about the strength of Ayush system of medicines for the treatment of common ailments. Under NAM, Ministry supports the efforts of State/UT Governments by providing financial assistance

to them under different activities as per the provision of NAM guidelines against their submitted State  Annual  Action  Plans  (SAAPs).  After  implementation  of  NAM  Scheme,  the  scale  of achievement for development of Ayush system of medicine including Ayurveda in the State/UT has increased significantly. Accordingly, budget allocation of NAM enhanced gradually during last five years from Rs. 705.00 Crore (in 2020-21) to Rs.1200.00 Crore (in 2024-25) for different activities of NAM Scheme. The Mission inter-alia makes provision for the following activities: -

(i)  Operationalization  of  Ayushman  Arogya  Mandir  (Ayush)  by  upgrading  existing  Ayush Dispensaries and Sub Health Centers.

(ii)  Co-location  of  Ayush  facilities  at  Primary  Health  Centres  (PHCs),  Community  Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs).

(iii) Upgradation of existing standalone Government Ayush Hospitals.

(iv)Upgradation of existing Government/Panchayat/Government aided Ayush Dispensaries/Construction  of  building  for  existing  Ayush  Dispensary  (Rented/  dilapidated accommodation)/ Construction of building to establish new Ayush Dispensary in the area where there are no Ayush facilities available.

(v) Setting up of 50/30/10 bedded integrated Ayush Hospitals.

(vi)  Supply  of  essential  drugs  to  Government  Ayush  Hospitals,  Government  Dispensaries  and Government/Government aided Teaching Institutional Ayush Hospitals.

(vii) Ayush Public Health Programmes.

(viii) Behaviour Change Communication (BCC).

(ix)  Establishment  of  new  Ayush  colleges  in  the  States  where  availability  of  Ayush  teaching institutions is inadequate in Government Sector.

(x) Infrastructural development of Ayush Under-Graduate Institutions and Ayush Post-Graduate Institutions/ add on PG/ Pharmacy /Para-Medical Courses.

Further, the Ministry of Ayush also implements a Central Sector Scheme for Promotion of  Information,  Education  and  Communication  (IEC)  in  Ayush  to  create  awareness  regarding Ayush Systems of Medicine. This  scheme  aims  to  reach  out  to  all  sections  of  the  population across the country and under this Scheme, Ministry organizes National/State level Arogya Fairs, Yoga  Fests/Utsavs,  Ayurveda  Parvs,  Celebrate  Important  Days  of  Ayush  Systems  including Ayurveda day, Participate in Health Fairs/ Melas & Exhibitions, Provide financial assistance for organizing seminars, workshops, conferences and conduct multimedia campaigns etc.

*****

## Annexure

The State/UT-wise status of co-located Ayush facilities at PHCs

| Sl. No.   | Name of the State/UT               |   PHC |
|-----------|------------------------------------|-------|
| 1         | Bihar                              |     0 |
| 2         | Chhattisgarh                       |   454 |
| 3         | Himachal Pradesh                   |     0 |
| 4         | Jammu &Kashmir                     |   373 |
| 5         | Jharkhand                          |    97 |
| 6         | Madhya Pradesh                     |   275 |
| 7         | Odisha                             |   886 |
| 8         | Rajasthan                          |   144 |
| 9         | Uttar Pradesh                      |   627 |
| 10        | Uttarakhand                        |    44 |
| 11        | Arunachal Pradesh                  |    50 |
| 12        | Assam                              |    71 |
| 13        | Manipur                            |    78 |
| 14        | Meghalaya                          |    54 |
| 15        | Mizoram                            |    10 |
| 16        | Nagaland                           |     9 |
| 17        | Sikkim                             |     4 |
| 18        | Tripura                            |    84 |
| 19        | Andhra Pradesh                     |   273 |
| 20        | Goa                                |    22 |
| 21        | Gujarat                            |   868 |
| 22        | Haryana                            |   106 |
| 23        | Karnataka                          |   366 |
| 24        | Kerala                             |     0 |
| 25        | Maharashtra                        |    20 |
| 26        | Punjab                             |    88 |
| 27        | Tamil Nadu                         |   475 |
| 28        | Telangana                          |   352 |
| 29        | West Bengal                        |   387 |
| 30        | Andaman &Nicobar Islands           |    20 |
| 31        | Chandigarh                         |    28 |
| 32        | Dadra &Nagar Haveli and Daman &Diu |     9 |
| 33        | Delhi                              |     0 |
| 34        | Ladakh                             |    32 |
| 35        | Lakshadweep                        |     4 |
| 36        | Puducherry                         |    39 |
| Total     | Total                              |  6349 |

Source: as per NHM-MIS database as on 31.12.2024