Amid challenges posed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, India
can become a manufacturing hub for the world market through Ayurveda, according
to Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH.

Addressing a webinar ‘Manufacturing Excellence in AYUSH’
organized by FICCI, Vaidya Kotecha said the world’s growing fascination towards
Ayurveda, traditional and alternative medicine is a huge opportunity for Indian
manufacturers to dominate the market. “This opportunity can provide a
substantial source of income for farmers and companies across the country.”

He emphasized on the need for a behavioural change in people
towards immunity-enhancing steps and highlighted the evidence that has established
the positive role of traditional medicines and practices in boosting immunity.

Referring to AYUSH’s effectiveness in mitigating the viral
infection, Kotecha said, “We collaborated with the Delhi Police and other
front-line warriors, where we provided an Ayuraksha Kit and observed the
incidence of Covid came down to four times in the span of two months with a
mortality rate of 0.47.”

He further stated that for an efficient supply chain
management in the plantation of medicinal plants, the Ministry is ready to
launch Mission Vrikshayush and that a 4000-crore scheme of herbal cultivation
has been shared in the cabinet.

Speaking on Govt’s perspective on manufacturing excellence, Kotecha
pointed out that the Ministry of AYUSH and MSME Ministry have signed an MoU to
give impetus to the Ayush sector where all schemes of the MSME industry will be
applicable for the Ayush sector.

He further mentioned that the Govt is working with FSSAI to
create a separate category of Ayurvedic Ahaar and working towards
launching a portal for drug regulation.

Dr Manoj Nesari, Adviser, Ministry of AYUSH, & Adviser,
FICCI AYUSH Committee, said, as a part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan,
there is a tremendous scope in manufacturing and cultivation of medicinal
plants for the herbal sector. The herbal market has tremendous growth potential
and is expected to grow by 129 thousand million by 2023. He further added that
quality is critical for global market registration and there is a need to
develop herbal monographs that will provide a boost to the industry and
facilitate export.

Shyam Bang, Chair, FICCI Manufacturing Excellence Taskforce,
Chairman, NABCB, Quality Council of India and Director at Jubilant Life
Sciences Ltd, said, to be competitive in the global market, the industry must
take steps that will lead to global excellence.

“To achieve excellence, the management concepts must be
changed to define parameters of excellence. The processes industry must adopt
are innovation, quality system, supply chain, visual management and orderliness,
these processes will yield productivity, cost, and morale,” he said.

Dr Sulaiman CT, Senior Scientist & Head, Phytochemistry
Division, Centre for Medicinal Plants Research (CMPR), Arya Vaidya Sala
Kottakkal, said a major issue faced by the Ayurvedic industry is non-availability
of genuine herbs in required quantities leading to adulteration and
unauthorized institution that affects quality of medicines adversely. He
further mentioned that despite efforts by the authorities to promote medicinal
plants cultivation, the problem of raw material scarcity leading to
adulteration remains a concern to the industry.