New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS): Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to confer the status of 'National Importance' to the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar by conglomerating the cluster of Ayurveda Institutes at Gujarat Ayurveda University campus.

The Bill to that effect is to be introduced in the ensuing session of Parliament to declare Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar as an Institution of National Importance, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar announced while addressing Cabinet briefing.

The Minister said that the decision was taken in the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The institutes to be conglomerated include Institute for Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda; Shri Gulabkunwerba Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya; and Institute of Ayurveda Pharmaceutical Sciences including Pharmacy Unit and to subsume the Maharshi Patanjali Institute for Yoga and Naturopathy Education and Research into the Department of Swasthvritta of the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda.

Considering the rapidly growing role of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy) systems in addressing the public health challenges of India, conferring the status of National Importance will boost the role and importance of Ayurveda in Public Health, Javadekar said.

He said that the strengthening of Ayurveda would reduce government expenditure on health as it is cost-effective because of its preventive and curative approaches.

"There is rising interest and demand for knowledge and services of Ayurveda all over the world and India is the country of origin of Ayurveda. The world is looking up to India to showcase state of the art institutions providing international level education and training in Ayurveda."

Elevation of the proposed Institute to the status of Institution of National Importance will provide it the autonomy to upgrade standard of Ayurveda education, frame various courses in Ayurveda as per national and international demand, adopt advanced evaluation methodology, the Minister said.

"It will have the mandate to frame its own certification courses for deeper penetration of AYUSH across masses and will give the capacity to bring out the unrealized potential of Ayurveda for addressing the major public health challenges faced by the country.

"It will help the institute to develop tertiary care in Ayurveda and to secure inter-disciplinary collaborations to give a contemporary thrust to Ayurveda."