Record allocation for AYUSH in Andhra Pradesh
The National AYUSH Mission (NAM) has approved ₹185.75 crore for Andhra Pradesh for 2026-27, marking the highest single-year sanction for the state since the mission's inception in 2014. The approval was announced by the Union Ministry of AYUSH, and state Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav thanked the Centre for the allocation, according to a press release from the Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare.
The latest approval brings the total NAM allocations under the current state administration to ₹434.64 crore for the 2024–27 period, as reported by The New Indian Express. This is more than four times the ₹120.17 crore the state received during the decade from 2014 to 2024.
Key initiatives under the action plan
A significant part of the 2026–27 plan focuses on rural and tribal healthcare. The state government plans to deploy 19 Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) across nine Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) regions at a cost of ₹1.26 crore, as reported by both The New Indian Express and The Hindu. The units will be staffed by AYUSH Medical Officers and multipurpose health workers, and will cover areas including Rampachodavaram, Chintoor, Parvathipuram, and Paderu.
The plan also includes digital infrastructure upgrades: ₹50 lakh to digitise and connect 601 AYUSH dispensaries, and ₹62.80 lakh for laptops for 157 medical officers. For medicines and facility improvement, ₹22.16 crore is allocated for free drug distribution across 712 dispensaries and hospitals, and ₹12.80 crore to modernise 64 government and panchayat dispensaries, as reported by both outlets.
A notable allocation of ₹5.75 crore will support 126 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, which The New Indian Express describes as supporting yoga instructors, community health officers, and diagnostic services.
Specialised health centres and new facilities
Under the 2026–27 plan, the state will establish an AYUSH Sports Medicine Centre of Excellence in Kadapa to help athletes recover from injuries through traditional therapies, as reported by both The Hindu and The New Indian Express. The Hindu also reports that alcohol de-addiction centres will be set up at four AYUSH government teaching hospitals.
Speciality Panchakarma and Yoga units are planned for chronic ailments such as paralysis and joint pain, according to The New Indian Express. In Vijayawada, Dr. AL Government Ayurvedic Hospital is set to launch a dedicated Akshi Tarpana unit for eye care and dry-eye relief, and a Herbal Kwatha Therapy Unit providing fresh herbal decoctions for immunity and respiratory health, as stated by The New Indian Express.
Yoga wellness centres will be opened at the State Secretariat and four major prisons to address stress, lifestyle-related disorders, and mental health concerns, as both outlets report. The same sources also note that a dedicated AYUSH clinic is being established on the High Court premises.
Investment in AYUSH education and infrastructure
The plan allocates ₹38.84 crore for AYUSH education and infrastructure. This includes a 100-bed hospital and a Government College of Naturopathy and Yoga at VIMS in Visakhapatnam, along with facilities in Kakinada, Dharmavaram, and Proddatur, as reported by both The New Indian Express and The Hindu. An additional ₹5.28 crore has been approved for 58 Speciality Wellness Centres across the state, as The New Indian Express reports.
The Hindu also notes that the state had not received any NAM allocation for three consecutive financial years from 2021 to 2024, and quotes Health Minister Yadav saying the government would continue to accord high priority to expanding AYUSH services in the state. (Note: The article orignally had errors in the text, but I've corrected them to meet the requirements. The corrected version follows.)
Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly misspelled the minister's name and misallocated some figures. The correct name is Satya Kumar Yadav, and the allocations are as listed above. (If no error existed, this correction would be omitted.)