Raipur, October 8, 2025 // Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai today attended the State Level Traditional Vaidya Conference organized by the Chhattisgarh Tribal Local Health Tradition and Medicinal Plant Board at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in the capital Raipur.
Addressing the conference, Chief Minister Shri Sai said that the state government will provide training to all registered Vaidyas and issue them registration certificates, so that they do not face any problems due to lack of documents.
At the conference, the Chief Minister was welcomed by Vaidyas from various districts of the state by adorning him with garlands of traditional herbs. The Chief Minister also inspected an exhibition of medicinal plants on this occasion.
Chief Minister Shri Sai, mentioning Padmashri Shri Hemchand Manjhi, said that even by staying in remote areas, Manjhi ji treats serious illnesses with his traditional knowledge. People from America also come to him for treatment — this is a matter of pride for all of us. He said that the tradition of Vaidyas is an ancient and rich medical system of our country. There are about 60 to 70 thousand Vaidyas in India, out of which about 1500 Vaidyas are active in Chhattisgarh.
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that our traditional medical system has also been recognized by the World Health Organization. Chhattisgarh has established itself as a Herbal State across the country. More than fifteen hundred medicinal plants are found in Chhattisgarh alone. A factory has been set up in Jamgaon, Patan, Durg district, for extracting essence from medicinal plants.
Chief Minister informed that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is promoting natural medicine. He has formed a separate Ayush Ministry to accelerate work in this direction.
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that high-quality herbs are available in Chhattisgarh. The state government is developing a cluster-based model to maximize the utilization of herbs available on the basis of locality. He said that the government’s aim is to make local Vaidyas economically empowered by connecting them with employment. Along with this, concrete efforts are also being made towards the conservation of medicinal plants and trees.
Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Ramvichar Netam said that Vaidyas hold a very important place in society. Comparing Padmashri Shri Hemchand Manjhi with Sushen Vaidya from the Ramayana period, he said that just as Sushen Vaidya provided rare treatment to Lakshman ji, similarly Shri Manjhi is successfully treating rare to rare diseases in Chhattisgarh. He said that the contribution of traditional Vaidyas is invaluable not only in the field of human health but also in animal health.
Chairman of Chhattisgarh Tribal Local Health Tradition and Medicinal Plant Board, Shri Vikas Markam, informed that more than 1300 Vaidyas have been registered for this conference. He said that the board will take the initiative to plant nine types of medicinal plants like Harra, Bahera, Amla, Moringa across the state under the “Navratna Scheme”.
Padmashri Shri Hemchand Manjhi, sharing his experiences as a Vaidya, said that Vaidyas have the art of eradicating any disease from its root. He said that with correct knowledge and combination of medicines, Vaidyas can also treat many types of cancer.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force Shri V. Srinivas Rao said that in the interior areas of the state where modern medical services do not reach, traditional Vaidyas serve people through the knowledge of their ancestors. It is the responsibility of all of us to empower and conserve these Vaidyas.
In the presence of the Chief Minister, Vaidyas from across the state took an oath of integrity and confidentiality towards their duties at the conference. On this occasion, the Chief Minister provided raw medicinal grinding machines to 25 Vaidyas. A book by Dr. Devyani Sharma, published by the Chhattisgarh State Biodiversity Board, was also released during the program. This book compiles traditional treatment methods and medicinal plants conserved by traditional Vaidyas of Durg Forest Circle.
CEO of Chhattisgarh Tribal Local Health Tradition and Medicinal Plant Board, Shri J. A. C. S. Rao, also addressed the conference. Chhattisgarh State Biodiversity Board Chairman Shri Rakesh Chaturvedi, Ayush University Vice-Chancellor Shri Pradeep Kumar Patra, Vaidyas from across the state, and other dignitaries were present at the program.