Tamil Nadu - Erode

Government to open 300 more Indian medicine clinics in State

ERODE: The Tamil Nadu Government will open 300 more Indian medicine clinics, G.A. Rajkumar, principal secretary and director, Directorate of Indian Medicine, said on Sunday.

Talking to journalists after inaugurating a AKP Homeopathic Clinic Research Centre’s branch at Avalpoondurai, near here, he said the clinics would be attached to primary health centres.

“Following positive response from the public to the existing 479 clinics, the State government has proposed to open additional centres at Rs. 7.01 crore.”

Mr. Rajkumar said of the 300 clinics, 200 would offer treatment through Siddha, 50 through homeopathy, and 25 each in Unani and yoga and naturopathy.

The opening of the 300 clinics would create 900 jobs. The Director said the State Government-owned Tampcol, which manufactures Siddha, Unani and Ayurvedic medicines, would soon launch a herbal concoction. “Herbal water would be packed and sold across the State,” he said and added that its consumption would increase immunity.

The Directorate had launched Laboob-e-Sahgeer, which, he said, aimed at curing sexual ailments in men.

Tampcol was the only public sector undertaking that declared cent per cent dividend to the Government. “For the past two years, Tampcol is the only one among the 49 State-owned enterprises to declare cent per cent dividend.”

The Directorate aimed at increasing the product range to include medicines to treat children, women and the elderly.

He added that in the process it also hoped to increase its profits from Rs.14 crore to Rs. 28 crore.

Mr. Rajkumar said the Directorate of Indian Medicine supported farmers cultivating herbs by offering Rs. 50,000 subsidy for an acre. At present about 5,000 acres are under cultivation of herbs.

The Government had sanctioned Rs. 5 crore each for the two Siddha colleges in Palayamkottai and Chennai.

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