National AYUSH Mission

Imagine India’s healthcare system as a diverse garden. On one side, you have Allopathy, the dominant system. But in the same garden, there exist deeply rooted, time-tested medicinal systems that have originated from Indian culture itself — Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homoeopathy.

These systems are together known as AYUSH.

Now, the Government of India thought — why not revive and mainstream AYUSH as a formal pillar of public health delivery? That’s exactly the vision behind the National AYUSH Mission (NAM).

🔍 Quick Overview

Feature	Description
Type	Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)
Launched	2014-15
Implemented	From 2015 to 2025–26
Ministry	Ministry of AYUSH
Focus	Holistic wellness and self-care through traditional Indian systems of medicine

🎯 Objectives of NAM

Let’s remember the objectives — each fulfilling a bigger healthcare philosophy:

1. Affordable AYUSH Services – Promote cost-effective care through AYUSH systems.
2. Support to Medicinal Plant Cultivation – Because AYUSH depends on herbs and indigenous plants.
3. Entrepreneur Infrastructure – Develop clusters and business models for AYUSH-related startups.
4. Holistic Wellness Model – Reduce out-of-pocket expenditure by integrating AYUSH wellness centres into public health.
5. Medical Pluralism – Co-locate AYUSH units in PHCs, CHCs, DHs so people can choose between modern and traditional systems.
6. Public Health Integration – As per National Health Policy (NHP) 2017, bring AYUSH into preventive and promotive health.

📚 What is AYUSH?

AYUSH is not just a list of systems — it’s India’s indigenous wisdom of well-being.

• A – Ayurveda (Herbal-based, ancient Sanskrit medical texts)
• Y – Yoga & Naturopathy (Mental and physical discipline + natural healing)
• U – Unani (Greek-Arabic origin, popular in India for centuries)
• S – Siddha (Old Tamil medical science)
• H – Homeopathy (German origin, but widely practiced in India)
• + Sowa-Rigpa (Tibetan traditional medicine, added recently)

These systems don’t just cure disease — they promote preventive health and lifestyle balance.

🏛️ Background

Before NAM, AYUSH was handled under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). But AYUSH needed dedicated attention and funding — hence, in 2014, the National AYUSH Mission was launched as an independent flagship initiative.

🧱 Core Components of NAM

1. Mandatory Components

These are like the “non-negotiables” of NAM:

a) AYUSH Services

• Upgrade AYUSH hospitals & dispensaries
• Co-locate AYUSH services in:
  • PHCs (Primary Health Centres)
  • CHCs (Community Health Centres)
  • DHs (District Hospitals)
• Set up Integrated AYUSH Hospitals with 10, 30, or 50 beds
• Operationalize AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres

🏥 12,500 AYUSH Wellness Centres (now called Ayushman Arogya Mandir) are being developed under Ayushman Bharat, implemented through NAM (until 2023–24).

b) AYUSH Educational Institutions

• Upgrade government or aided UG & PG AYUSH colleges
• Financial help to states for new AYUSH colleges, especially where they’re lacking

2. Flexible Component

Here comes the smart move — NAM allows 25% of the total state fund to be used flexibly, depending on local needs.

✅ Funded Activities under Flexible Component:

Activity	Details
Yoga Wellness Centres	₹1 lakh (one-time setup) + ₹6 lakh/year (recurring)
Telemedicine Services	Digitally connect AYUSH doctors to rural areas
Sports Medicine through AYUSH	Integrate Yoga & Ayurveda in athlete wellness
IEC Campaigns	Awareness programs about AYUSH
Incentives to Frontline AYUSH Workers	Encourage and support AYUSH manpower
Accreditation of AYUSH Hospitals	To ensure quality and standardization

💡 Performance-Based Budgeting

Let’s say a state performs really well — full utilization, quality execution, strong health outcomes.

Then NAM says:

“🎁 Here, take 20% extra funding from the Flexipool as a performance incentive.”

This motivates states to treat AYUSH with sincerity and innovation.

📊 Monitoring and Evaluation

It’s easy to make a plan; implementing it and ensuring accountability is the hard part.

That’s why:

• A dedicated NAM web portal is in place
• States must submit:
  • State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs)
  • Monthly/Quarterly/Annual physical + financial progress reports
  • Utilization Certificates (UCs)

The Ministry of AYUSH reviews all data for transparency and efficiency.

✅ In Summary

• Promotes medical pluralism and informed public choice.
• Bridges the gap between heritage and modernity in healthcare.
• Reduces dependency on expensive private healthcare through community wellness.
• Encourages self-reliance in preventive healthcare — a key theme post-COVID.