Ayush ministry rapped for not utilising funds

A parliamentary panel has criticised the Ministry of Ayush for not fully utilising the funds allocated to it and said the Centre "must strive hard to integrate Ayush into mainstream healthcare."

- KAVITA BAJELI-DATT

The Ministry aims to enhance AYUSH services, particularly in underserved and remote areas, but it lacks the resources to do so effectively, said the department-related parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

"The need to establish integrated AYUSH hospitals in many districts has a high financial requirement," the committee, headed by Rajya Sabha MP Prof Ram Gopal Yadav, said.

"The Committee also observes that the Ministry is not fully utilising the funds allocated to it. It is crucial to optimise resource utilisation by implementing strategies that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of existing programmes, focusing on high-impact interventions in priority areas, and establishing robust tracking systems to monitor spending and identify the most effective resource allocation," the Committee noted.