The Rajya Sabha today resumed discussion on the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020. The bill seeks to provide for the establishment of an Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda and to declare it an Institute of National importance. The bill also has the provision to merge three Ayurveda institutes into one institution. 
 
Participating in the discussion, TMC MP Dr Santunu Sen questioned the bill saying it is in contradiction of New Education Policy. While supporting the bill, Prashant Nanda of BJD said, the world is looking towards India for quality education in the field of Ayurveda.
 
Prof. Ramgopal Yadav of Samajwadi Party demanded the Centre to provide more assistance to states to ensure better availability of medicines in the hospitals.
 
M. Shanmugam of DMK wanted to know about the parameters to give the status of national importance to the institutes. Dr K Keshava Rao of TRS, Vijayasai Reddy of YSR Congress also participated in the discussion which is underway. 
 
On Tuesday, moving the bill, the Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan said, this will promote the quality education and research in the field of Ayurveda. He said, this will be the first institution in the country having the status of national importance.