RAIPUR: In a bid to transform Chhattisgarh into a national hub for traditional medicine, research and higher education, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and proposed setting up an All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in the state.
The meeting, attended by Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, focused on state development, public welfare initiatives and regional issues. A key agenda item was Sai’s formal request for an AIIA in Chhattisgarh.
Referring to the success of existing AIIAs in New Delhi and Goa, Sai said these institutions have emerged as centres of excellence by integrating traditional Ayurvedic practices with modern medical science. He noted that they have strengthened healthcare delivery while producing skilled doctors and researchers.
“Chhattisgarh is uniquely positioned to take Ayurvedic research to new heights,” Sai said, highlighting the state’s vast forest cover, natural resources and abundance of medicinal plants. He also pointed to the traditional healing knowledge preserved by tribal communities, describing it as a valuable but underutilised resource.
According to the chief minister, an AIIA in Chhattisgarh would provide advanced healthcare services to residents while creating opportunities for higher education and research. He added that the institute could serve the wider central Indian region by attracting patients, students and researchers from neighbouring states.
Citing the Union Budget announcement on establishing three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda across the country, Sai urged the Centre to allocate one of them to Chhattisgarh. He said the project would generate employment, strengthen specialised education and boost knowledge-driven economic growth.
Sai also briefed Shah on the progress of infrastructure projects and welfare schemes being implemented in remote and security-sensitive regions, including Bastar.
Shah appreciated the state government’s development initiatives and assured the Centre’s support for Chhattisgarh’s welfare and growth programmes.