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Ayurveda system & treatment will be included in draft Industrial & Commercial Policy of Kerala govt: Minister
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
August 30 , 2017
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Giving a major boost to the Ayrveda sector in Kerala, the state
government has decided to include Ayurveda, the traditional health
system of Kerala, into the draft Industrial and Commercial Policy-2017
being prepared by the government.
The policy lays stress on
special packages for the development of Ayurveda industry and also for
the treatment sector, said A C Moideen, state industries minister.
While
responding to queries from Pharmabiz, the minister said he has received
a memorandum in this regard from the Association of Ayurveda medicine
manufacturers in Kerala and their request will be considered in the
draft policy.
The minister further said the state government will
bring the association’s demand for a uniform levy of 5% (lowest slab)
on all generic products in the ayurvedic system under the GST (Goods and
Services Tax) regime, into the attention of the central GST council.
According to him, the state government is fully supportive to the
traditional treatment systems of Kerala.
The Ayurveda Medicine
Manufacturers Organisation of India (AMMOI) had last month urged the
government to consider Ayurveda and the treatment method as segments of
traditional industry by including them in the draft policy. If it
becomes part of the industrial policy, there will be allocation for the
development of the sector in the budget, said Dr. Ramanathan, general
secretary of AMMOI.
According to him, with the implementation of
the GST, the Ayurveda manufacturing sector is not only plagued with
concerns ranging from rise in prices of products, but also a
deterioration of business conditions that may push the industry into
crisis. If the prices of medicines go up due to increased tax, the
consumers of ayurvedic medicines will gradually stop purchasing the
products.
"The GST Council has announced 12 percent GST rate for
ayurvedic generic products. This rate should be reduced to 5 percent for
the existnece of the sector”, he wanted in the memorandum to the
minister.
To a question, Dr. Ramanathan said Ayurveda sector in
Kerala gives employment to around two lakhs people including physicians,
pharmacists and other para-medical staff. There are 680 manufacturing
units in the state.
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