Archive for the ‘Government News’ category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Commonwealth Games Players to get a taste of Kerala’s massage treatment

July 27th, 2010
With an aim to give foreign visitors a taste of famous Kerala massage during the Commonwealth Games, Delhi’s health department had approached Kerala government a couple of months ago for assistance to select masseurs who could be trained in massages that could be used to give relief to tired or injured athletes. Kerala Government, advertised for masseurs & 150 candidates were chosen & trained for games duties.
A team of 150 masseurs trained in therapeutic Kerala ayurvedic massage will cater to around 8,000 sportspersons during the Commonwealth Games. The masseurs, most of whom are either ayurvedic massage therapists or ayurvedic doctors from Kerala, have been selected by the director of Medical Education Ayurveda and principal of Ayurveda Medical College of Trivandrum. They will be now trained in sports injuries by a Pune-based specialist in August.
S Bhattacharjee, director of Delhi Health Services, said the Organizing Committee would need around 120 masseurs while the rest would be kept on standby.
The masseurs will be divided in various teams and will be stationed at the Commonwealth Games Village and event venues. After reaching the capital 10 days before the Games, the masseurs will stay in a hostel facility in Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital complex.
Health minister Kiran Walia said research has shown that masseurs of Indian system of medicine like ayurveda are among the best in the world. She claimed that masseurs specializing in sports-related massages were an important component of the health arrangements for the Games.

No comments »

Posted in General News, Government News, International News

Tags:

CERS alleges fat free remedies ads of ayurveda firm misleading, plans to move consumer court

July 26th, 2010
The Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS), a leading consumer rights organisation based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is exploring legal options to complain with the consumer redressal forum against the allegedly misleading advertisement of the Thissur -based Sri Bhagavathy Madom Ayurveda Nikethanam, Kerala, for its fitness massage oil and fat free tablets.
The CERS, an not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGO), alleges that the company’s claims on its two products, the Sri Bhagavathy Madom Fitness Massage Oil and the Fat Free, on advertisements published in various publications are misleading the consumers. The society has recently complained to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), a self regulatory
voluntary organization of the advertising industry, against the advertisement.
“The ASCI has advised the company to withdraw the advertisement on dispute from publishing henceforth. However the company seems to carry on with the advertisement and our legal department is examining the issue for further actions,” said Pritee Shah, senior director, CERS and the editor with the society’s consumer magazine, Insight.
According to CERS complaint, “the ad said that the ‘Fat Free’ tablet is scientifically proven as reducing excess fat and cholesterol; and by using ‘Sri Bhagavathy Madom Fitness Massage Oil’ one can get rid of loose fat, wrinkles bulgings, swellings, dry skin, excess sweating and bad odour. ‘Use ‘Fat Free’ tablet and ‘Sri Bhagavathy Madom Fitness Massage Oil’ together and see the magical result within one month”, the ad claimed’”.
The Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of ASCI found that the advertisement contravened Chapter 1.1 of the ASCI Code and has advised the advertiser to withdraw the said advertisement. The CCC, after considering the clinical data submitted by the advertiser, concluded that the claims mentioned in the ad and cited in the complaint were not substantiated adequately, says a press release from CERS.
The ASCI is the voluntary self-regulatory body dealing with complaints received from consumers and industry, against advertisements which are considered as false, misleading, indecent, illegal, leading to unsafe practices, or unfair to competition, and consequently in contravention of the ASCI Code for self-regulation in advertising.
Though the issue could be challenged with the state drug regulator pointing relevant acts and rules, the society, being a consumer organisation, would preferably move to the consumer redressal forum for a remedy, said Shah. However, management officials from Sri Bhagavathy Madom were not readily available for comments.

No comments »

Posted in Education Buzz, General News, Government News, Research News

Tags:

Himachal Pradesh to spent Rs. 13.50 crore for 27 Ayurvedic institutions

July 14th, 2010
Shimla: Dr. Rajiv Bindal, Health and Ayurveda Minister said that a sum of Rs. 13.50 crore would be spent on construction of new buildings and providings equipments for 27 Ayurvedic institutions in the State.
Presiding over the review meeting of Ayurveda Department here today, Dr. Bindal said that draft proposal for construction of new buildings for 27 Ayurvedic institutions had been prepared and added that Rs. 35 lakh would be spent on construction of each building of the institutions while Rs. 15 lakh for providing equipments etc. in these institutions in the State. He said that Ayurvedic Pharmacy College would soon be opened and added that all formalities had already been completed. He said that admission for B. Pharmacy in Ayurveda would start this year.. He said that similarly admission for B.Sc. Nursing in Ayurveda would start this year also.
Health Minister said that the present Government headed by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister was committed to provide better health care services to the people of the State for which Ayurveda Department was doing its best. He said that Panchkarma system of medicines was introduced in six institutions of the State after the formation of present Government which had now been introduced in nine more institutions. He said that now the treatment under Panchkarma system of medicines was provided to the people of the State in 15 institutions. He further said that treatment under ‘ Kashar Sutar’ system of medicines was given in two institutions of the State upto 1st January, 2008 which had now been introduced in nine institutions till-now.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri P.C. Dhiman, Principal Secretary, Health and Ayurveda said that all-out efforts would be made for promotion Ayurveda in the State.
Earlier, Shri Prem Singh Draik, Director, Ayurveda welcomed the Chief Guest and detailed out the activities undertaken by the Department in the State.
The meeting among others was attended by Shri Roop Singh Verma, Deputy Secretary, Ayurveda, Shri Rameshwar Sharma, Additional Director and other senior officers of Ayurveda Department.

No comments »

Posted in General News, Government News

Ayurveda cluster to be built near Pune

June 24th, 2010
An ayurveda industry cluster and common facility centre will be built at Kolawadi near Pune at a cost of Rs 16 crore, with the work expected to commence in 2011.
The city-based Maharashtra Ayurveda Centre Private Limited (MACPL) is building the cluster, which will have world-class raw material standardisation and processing centres, quality control laboratories, research centres, manufacturing centres for entrepreneurship and skill development in the field of ayurveda.
While the total cost of the project is Rs 16 crore, the department of AYUSH — which falls under the ministry of health and family welfare — has granted a subsidy of Rs 10 crore to the project. The remaining amount will be raised by the MACPL.
Speaking to TOI, Sunita Belgamwar, chairman, MACPL, said, “The cluster will come up at Kolawadi near Pune on the Pune-Bangalore highway. The common facility centre will be developed on 54,000 sq ft. It will benefit ayurveda drug manufacturers, traders, medicinal plant farmers, distributors, ayurveda practitioners, researchers and students.”
She said the MACPL consists of around 35 organisations that will be among the primary investors in this project. “We are expecting the project to commence by 2011. The cluster will bring additional employment opportunities in the ayurveda sector in the state.”
Belgamwar said the Union government has sanctioned two ayurveda clusters for the state and the other one will come up in the Konkan area. She said the Centre will also provide subsidy for cultivation of medicinal plants, which farmers will supply as raw material. In fact, the Centre recently gave subsidy to farmers from Vidarbha for cultivating medicinal plants.

No comments »

Posted in Business News, General News, Government News

Tags:

CII Kerala and state to set up ayurveda village

June 11th, 2010
The Kerala unit of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in partnership with the health department will set up an ayurveda village in the state’s Kannur district.
“We will be the facilitator. In the village precious herbs and medicinal plants would be cultivated by the locals. We will provide them the saplings and the techniques for cultivation. Once the plants are ready, we will help them to sell their produce for a good price,” said P. Ganesh, Kerala CII chief.
He said there is a huge demand for herbs and medicinal plants from companies manufacturing ayurvedic medicines.
He also said the ayurveda hospital in Kannur would be upgraded.
Earlier in the day, a CII delegation, led by its southern region chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan, called on Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan to discuss areas of cooperation.
“We have identified areas where we will work for turning the state into a destination for investment and the thrust areas would include IT, tourism, development of traditional industries besides infrastructure development. A master plan for cities in the state also is being planned,” said Gopalakrishnan.
He also said that for speedy development of the state basic infrastructure is essential.

No comments »

Posted in Business News, General News, Government News

Tags:

Pharmacopoeia Commission

May 15th, 2010
The government has decided to set up a Pharmacopoeia Commission at a cost of Rs. 14.08 crore for developing indigenous medicines with the aim of raising the country’s share in the $62-billion global herbal drug market.
The Commission for development of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines would be set up in the wake of increasing cost of modern healthcare drugs and demand for herbal medicines, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told journalists after a Union Cabinet meeting.
The Commission, to be housed in Ghaziabad, would set standards for drugs in the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medical systems.
Earlier, a Committee set up by the Planning Commission for AYUSH (Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha) sector approved the setting up of the Commission. The panel will be responsible for publication and revision of standards on Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani drugs, as well as their formulation, development and publishing standards.
The global trade in herbal drugs is worth $62 billion. Of this, China’s share was $19 billion, against a meagre $1 billion of India, a senior official said. The Commission would strive for India increased its market share.
There were 1,000 kinds of drugs and an equal number of compound formulations. The Commission would develop standards and quality specifications of identity and strength of raw material as well. It would define standard procedures for manufacturing Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani drugs, besides maintaining a national depository that would provide authentic reference of the raw material.
The Commission would be an autonomous society headed by an eminent technical person. It should work with immediate effect and would eventually become self-sustainable, the Minister said.

No comments »

Posted in General News, Government News, International News, Research News

Tags:

Programme to incorporate ayurveda in rural women’s healthcare

February 11th, 2010
With an aim to ensure that ayurveda is accessible to the rural community, especially women, efforts are being made to make the discipline a part of primary health centres and create awareness about it.
A programme has been conceptualized to create awareness, clear myths and generate suggestions for policy formulations for incorporating ayurveda in National Rural Healthcare systems for women.
“We propose to understand the science and logic behind traditional lifestyles and know the different options available for affordable and alternative means of good health for our rural populace,” an NGO participating in a seminar on ayurveda said.
A good example are the traditional ‘dais’ or midwives who have undoubtedly played a very significant role in human resource development but little or not effort has been made to upgrade their skills to meet new challenges, it said.
Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath said rural women not being so well-educated are dependent on local health workers, governments’ hospitals and sometimes on the information that trickles down to them from urban lifestyles.
The seminar also recognized the need to clear some myths amongst both urban and rural women about some practices related to women-specific lifestyles.

No comments »

Posted in General News, Government News

Tags:

Ayurveda Medical College to come up in Mahe

February 7th, 2010
A medical college offering Ayurveda courses would be started next year in Mahe as there was good response to it in the region, home and health minister E Valsaraj said here today.
Mahe in Kerala is an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Speaking after inaugurating the two-day ninth annual conference of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Associations of Plastic Surgeons here, Valsaraj said the first Puducherry government run medical college would go on stream in the 2010-11 academic year, offering 150 MBBS seats.
Stating that Puducherry was now becoming a hub of medical education in the country, he pointed out that there are already seven medical colleges in the private sector.
Asserting that there was a need to restructure courses in government arts colleges here, he said Mahe region had an arts
college started some 40 years ago. Although the 10 courses offered in this college could have a student strength of 240, around 160 seats went abegging.
Outdated arts and science courses would have no relevance in the changing context. Hence collegiate education required to be revamped he said.
Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University JAK Tareen who presided and released a souvenir of the conference, said the university was keen on having collaborative programmes and academic activities with medical colleges in Union Territory. New non-clinical courses were also finalised for introduction in the university, he said.

A medical college offering Ayurveda courses would be started next year in Mahe as there was good response to it in the region, home and health minister E Valsaraj said here today. Mahe in Kerala is an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Speaking after inaugurating the two-day ninth annual conference of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Associations of Plastic Surgeons here, Valsaraj said the first Puducherry government run medical college would go on stream in the 2010-11 academic year, offering 150 MBBS seats.
Stating that Puducherry was now becoming a hub of medical education in the country, he pointed out that there are already seven medical colleges in the private sector.
Asserting that there was a need to restructure courses in government arts colleges here, he said Mahe region had an artscollege started some 40 years ago. Although the 10 courses offered in this college could have a student strength of 240, around 160 seats went abegging.
Outdated arts and science courses would have no relevance in the changing context. Hence collegiate education required to be revamped he said.
Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University JAK Tareen who presided and released a souvenir of the conference, said the university was keen on having collaborative programmes and academic activities with medical colleges in Union Territory. New non-clinical courses were also finalised for introduction in the university, he said.

No comments »

Posted in Education Buzz, General News, Government News

Tags:

Ayurveda as sports medicine.

January 27th, 2010
Kerala Government has worked out a scheme to explore the potential of Ayruveda and other indigenous healing systems as sports medicine.
a research cell under the joint auspices of Departmement of Indian Systems of Medicines and Ayurveda Medical Education has been formed to take up studies on application of native medical systems to sports
Major sporting nations like China, Japan and Latin American countries have made strides in application of their indigenous medical systems in the field of sports. Several universities in India also have taken up research projects on this subject.
The project is also part of the state’s policy of promoting native healing systems blending their traditional strength with modern scientific methodologies.
According to experts, Kerala has a long tradition of application of native medical system to sports like the healing system developed side-by-side martial arts such as ‘Kalaripayattu.’
Most of the exponents of Kalaripayatu were also experts in healing fractures, wounds and other physical disorders by applying preparations made of medicinal plants, herbs and medicated oil.
Massage therapy also developed over centuries in Kerala as part of its martial art-cum-healing system.

Kerala Government has worked out a scheme to explore the potential of Ayruveda and other indigenous healing systems as sports medicine.
a research cell under the joint auspices of Departmement of Indian Systems of Medicines and Ayurveda Medical Education has been formed to take up studies on application of native medical systems to sports
Major sporting nations like China, Japan and Latin American countries have made strides in application of their indigenous medical systems in the field of sports. Several universities in India also have taken up research projects on this subject.
The project is also part of the state’s policy of promoting native healing systems blending their traditional strength with modern scientific methodologies.
According to experts, Kerala has a long tradition of application of native medical system to sports like the healing system developed side-by-side martial arts such as ‘Kalaripayattu.’
Most of the exponents of Kalaripayatu were also experts in healing fractures, wounds and other physical disorders by applying preparations made of medicinal plants, herbs and medicated oil.
Massage therapy also developed over centuries in Kerala as part of its martial art-cum-healing system.

No comments »

Posted in General News, Government News

Tags:

Baba Ramdev’s Ayurveda College in Hardwar

January 5th, 2010
Union health and family welfare minister Ghulam Nabi Azad inaugurated the Patanjali Ayurveda College owned by yoga guru Swami Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth and Divya Yog Mandir Trust in Hardwar Monday.
The college will offer degree courses in Ayurvedic medicine and carry out advanced research in herbal therapies and diagnosis of rare diseases.
‘We will start with 50 students, who will be taught how to make herbal medicines, diagnose diseases according to Ayurvedic traditions and select medicinal herbs. The fact that we already have a health infrastructure with provision for 400 internal patients and an outpatients department catering to nearly 1,000 people every day will help. The college will be run in compliance with government norms,’ Acharya Balkrishnaji, vice-chancellor of the college and co-founder of Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust and Divya Yog Mandir, told IANS from Hardwar.
The seer said the ‘objective behind the hospital was to combine modern medical science with the ancient Ayurvedic medicine in India’.
‘We have state-of-the-art equipment, better than many hospitals in the country,’ the vice-chancellor said.
Union food processing minister Subodh Kant Sahay – along with 13 chief ministers from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Goa and Sikkim – will inaugurate a herbal and organic food park spread over 95 acres in Hardwar.
‘The Rs.500-crore food park will manufacture aloe vera, amla (Indian goosebery), citrus fruits, vegetable and herbal juices and extracts. It will also process 150 tonnes of cereals rich in calcium and iron every day. The park will provide employment to 30,000 people and benefit hundreds of thousands of farmers who will be ensured fair price for their produce,’ a spokesperson for Patanjali Yogpeeth said.
The organisation, which is billing the park as one of the largest natural processed food zones in the world, has entered into an agreement with Uttarakhand and Punjab to source raw material from farmers.

1 comment »

Posted in Education Buzz, General News, Government News

Tags: