India will have a Yoga minister for the first time in Shripad Nayak of Goa who was shifted from tourism and culture ministries in the reshuffle on Sunday to hold independent charge as minister of state for AAYUSH.
Thus far AAYUSH was Health Minister’s responsibility, but it has now become a separate portfolio. Modi, who is himself a Yoga practitioner, has carved out a separate ministry to promote traditional medicines as also Yoga, Ayurveda, naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and homeopathy.
Besides his independent charge, Naik will also be a minister of state for health under cabinet minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, the senior-most national general secretary of the BJP.
Modi, a vegetarian who practices yoga daily, had asked the United Nations in September to consider having an international yoga day. During his visit to the United States, Modi had also discussed the ancient Indian discipline with President Barack Obama during their dinner at the White House.
The Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy was created in March1995 and re-christened AAYUSH (Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) in November 2003 to provide focused attention to development of these health streams of alternate medicine.
Of late, Yoga and traditional streams of Indian medical treatment are becoming a rage worldwide; even in India, they have spawned an entire hospitality industry that offers spas specialising in Naturotherapy and Panchkarma. It is felt that a full-fledged minister will be able to do justice to this largely indigenous industry.
From: The Free Press Journal