SC notice to Centre on plea to include ayurveda, yoga in Ayushman Bharat

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The Supreme Court sought the Centre’s response on a plea seeking the inclusion of ayurveda, yoga, and naturopathy in the national Ayushman Bharat scheme.

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A Bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued the notice to the Centre and others on the petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.

The plea, which sought inclusion of the practices in PM-JAY, also known as Ayushman Bharat, said the inclusion would allow a significant portion of the country’s population to avail affordable healthcare benefits and wellness in various serious diseases, apart from providing employment to many working in the field of Ayurveda.

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Ayushman Bharat, which was launched in 2018, has two main components — PM-JAY and Health and Wellness Centres.

The former provides for a cashless health insurance cover of ₹5 lakh per BPL family every year. The petitioner sought the scheme to be implemented in all States and the Indian healthcare systems.

“PM-JAY, that is, Ayushman Bharat predominantly covers and is limited to allopathic hospitals and dispensaries, while India boasts various Indigenous medical systems, including ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, Siddha, Unani, homoeopathy, which are rooted in India’s rich traditions and are highly effective in addressing the healthcare needs of the present time,” it said.

The plea claimed due to various “policies created by foreign rulers” and “individuals with a colonial mindset” India’s cultural and intellectual knowledge, besides scientific heritage, had systematically eroded.

“These foreigners, motivated by a profit-oriented approach, have thoughtfully implemented many laws and schemes during the time of our country’s independence that have slowly undermined our rich heritage and history,” it alleged.