Kolkata, July 17 (UNI) The central government has decided to more than double the capacity of the National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH) here and set up a manufacturing unit at its campus for manufacturing medicines, Union Minister of Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal announced on Monday.
Speaking at an event, the Minister announced that the capacity of NIH will be enhanced substantially by 150 additional beds. Thus the health facility, which now has 100 beds, would soon have 250 beds.
Sonowal also laid the foundation stone of a new multi-storied boys' hostel, to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 46 crores on the campus.
The hostel will have G+7 floors, and accommodate 400 under-graduate students. It will be equipped with all the modern amenities like a gymnasium, common room, guest rooms, kitchen and dining area among others.
Sonowal had announced during his previous visit to the NIH that the hostel would be set up.



The establishment of the manufacturing unit at the NIH campus soon for production of homeopathic medicines would give a boost to "Make in India", he said.



In order to further facilitate student welfare, two more hostels - for both boys and girls - would be built on the campus. The hostels will cater to post-graduate students, Sonowal announced.



The ceremony was also attended by the Union Minister of State for Ayush and Women & Child Development, Dr Mahendra Munjpara; Director, NIH, Prof (Dr) Subhas Singh among other senior officials of Ministry of Ayush.



Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said, “As the traditional medicinal practices got a boost under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, we must keep up the pace and equip and enable institutions to help produce doctors who can join the cause of building a healthy &‘Swastha Bharat’.

“In order to realise this, I believe we must enable and empower NIH to become a centre of clinical excellence.

He recalled that Many stalwarts of Bengal like Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Rabindra Nath Tagore had played prominent roles in popularising homeopathy.
He said the present central government was committed to promoting the Ayush system of medicine and integrating it with the healthcare apparatus of the country for the benefit of the people.
NIH Director Prof (Dr) Subhash Singh said the institute has two campuses - one in Kolkata and the other in New Delhi. As many as 47 students enrol in the post-graduate courses while 126 students join the under-graduate courses every year. Admission into the Delhi campus is under process.


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