Ayush Department of the Government of India is bringing the goodness of Ayurveda, specifically the practices that lay more emphasis on the strictures of Kerala tradition to Orissa through the state-run Gopabandhu Ayurveda College in Puri.
The department is opening a center of excellence at the college and is prepared to allocate upto Rs 2 crore in funds to develop infrastructure, facilities and systems to get the center up and running. It may be recalled that the Government of Orissa had in fact taken the same steps in 2003, with the intention of popularising and cashing in on the tourists boom but a lack of co-ordination among agencies involved, non-existent state patronage and diligent assesmsnt of the functioning of the project spelt its doom.
With the help of the Center, the Ayush Department and the promise of adequate funding, it is hoped that this initiative will go a long way in boosting the reach and popularity of Ayurveda in the country, and through the global visitors who are the beneficiaries, the world.
Orissa : An Overview