Parliament Question: Scientific Documentation of Traditional Healing Practices

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2173 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2026 Scientific Documentation of Traditional Healing Practices

2173. Dr. D. Purandeswari:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has initiated systematic efforts to scientifically document and preserve the traditional healing practices of tribal communities in the Rajahmundry Parliamentary constituency of Andhra Pradesh;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with field research and ethnographic surveys successfully conducted in the Rampachodavaram agency tracts during the financial year 2025-26;

(c) whether the Government has provided specific financial support to local tribal healers to standardize their indigenous herbal formulations for broader public utility and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the specific measures taken by the Government to protect the intellectual property rights of these traditional forest-dwelling communities regarding their ancestral medical knowledge; and

(e) the details of the future steps planned by the Government to establish a dedicated regional AYUSH research centre in the Godavari region to study the pharmacological potential of local medicinal flora? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (c) At present no such proposal is under consideration. However, the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) provides Ayurveda healthcare services in tribal areas across the country through the Tribal Health Care Research Programme (THCRP) under the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP), implemented through 14 CCRAS institutes in 14 States, including the Regional Ayurveda Research Institute (RARI), Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. The primary objective of the programme is to provide Ayurveda healthcare services directly to tribal communities. In addition, awareness lectures are conducted to promote healthy lifestyle practices based on Ayurveda, including Dinacharya (daily regimen), Ritucharya (seasonal regimen), and Pathya-Apathya (dietary guidelines) for health promotion and disease prevention. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials are also distributed.

1The Council also documents prevalent Local Health Traditions (LHTs), Ethno-Medicinal Practices (EMPs), and folklore claims among tribal populations through Medico Ethno- Botanical Survey (MEBS) and Tribal Health Care Research Programme (THCRP).

(d) Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) protects the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of the Local Health Traditions documented from knowledge providers during conducting the Medico Ethno Botanical Survey (MEBS) and Tribal Health Care Research Program (THCRP), as per the CCRAS research policy.

(e) At present no such proposal is under consideration. **** 2