BIHARSHARIF: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday announced the construction of an Ayurveda college opposite the Nalanda University building under construction in Rajgir. He said classes in the proposed Ayurveda college will start within 18 months.
He also announced the revival of the closed and ailing Ayurveda and Ayush colleges in the state, including those in Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga. He said Rs838 crore would be spent on the projects.
The CM made the announcements while speaking at the inaugural event of a three-day Ayurveda Parv at Rajgir International Convention Centre (ICC). The festival has been jointly organised by the state Ayurveda council and state Ayush committee, Patna.
Such conferences are being organised in four states at the initiative of the Union Ayush department.
While addressing around 1,400 Ayurveda scholars from across the country, Nitish said the hills and jungles at Rajgir are full of herbs, including Kalmegh, Gundmar, Sanjivini among others, which are used in Ayurvedic medicines for a long time. He thanked the organizers for choosing Rajgir for the event.
The CM said the state government has been trying hard to develop naturopathy in Bihar. He said Mahatma Gandhi, too, had advocated for its use. He said the state government has been keen to develop Ayurveda and homeopathy in Bihar.
Nitish said the state government provided 10 acre land for the new building of Tibbi College and once it moved there, the present building will be provided for the use of Ayurvedic and homeopathic research works.
The chief minister also spoke on the historical importance of Venu Van and the recently developed places at Rajgir, including the Nature Safari, glass bridge, upcoming zoo safari among others and requested the participants to visit those places during their stay at Rajgir.
Health minister Mangal Pandey, Nalanda MP Kaushlendra Kumar, MLAs of the area, additional chief secretary (health) Pratyaya Amrit, Nalanda DM Yogendra Kumar Singh, SP Hari Prasath S were among others present on the occasion.
