New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to respond to a plea requesting the inclusion of Ayurveda, yoga, and naturopathy in the Ayushman Bharat scheme. A bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, issued the notice in response to the petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.
The plea argues that adding these practices to the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), also known as Ayushman Bharat, would allow a significant portion of the population to access affordable healthcare and wellness options for various serious diseases. It would also create employment opportunities for those in the field of Ayurveda.
Launched in 2018, Ayushman Bharat comprises two main components: PM-JAY and Health and Wellness Centres. PM-JAY offers a cashless health insurance cover of ?5 lakh per BPL family annually.
The petitioner urged for the scheme’s implementation across all states and for the inclusion of traditional Indian healthcare systems. “Currently, Ayushman Bharat primarily covers allopathic hospitals and dispensaries. However, India has diverse indigenous medical systems, including Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, siddha, unani, and homeopathy, which are deeply rooted in the country's traditions and are highly effective in meeting today’s healthcare needs,” the petition states.
The plea further claims that policies enacted by past colonial rulers have eroded India's cultural, intellectual, and scientific heritage over time. It alleges, “These foreign influences, driven by a profit-centered approach, implemented laws and schemes that systematically undermined India’s rich heritage and historical knowledge.”
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