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A new lease of life for Ayurveda in Kerala

The Union Commerce Ministry has approved the setting up of an Ayurveda cluster at Koratty, in Thrissur district, as a special purpose vehicle. It will be a joint venture among private Ayurvedic companies, Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) and Kerala Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC).

According to Kinfra sources, the proposal for setting up the Ayurveda cluster had been approved by the Inter-Ministerial Apex Committee on Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme (IIUS).

Under the IIU Scheme, 75 per cent of the project cost is available as grant (subject to a maximum of Rs.50 crore). Out of the remaining 25 per cent equity, 15 per cent will be pitched in by the industry. Financial institutions and establishments like KSIDC, Kinfra will contribute the rest.

The Confederation of Ayurvedic Renaissance Keralam Private Limited (CARe-Keralam) aims to standardise the Ayurvedic treatment and medicines to help develop a unique brand image for Ayurveda facilities in the State.

The stated vision of CARe-Keralam is to “upgrade Ayurveda from a mere Indian system of traditional medicine to a modern comprehensive health care science and system, with the power of contemporary technological advances and backing of the sacred knowledge from perpetuity.” Information on CARe-Keralam website said that a sectoral study of Ayurveda had showed that Kerala contributed marginally to the overall turnover of the Ayurveda industry.

This despite the fact that Kerala had a rich tradition of Ayurveda. The State has around 200 certified GMP companies producing Ayurvedic products.

The large number of Ayurveda companies had led to intense competition among themselves. It was at this juncture that the Ayurveda companies came together to float a special purpose vehicle with support from Kinfra and KSIDC.

The companies which are part of the cluster will benefit from common facilities like a common raw material supply bank, quality check laboratory and research and development facilities.

K.A. Martin

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