Maharashtra to regulate yoga, naturopathy

Like many other states, Maharashtra will soon begin to regulate yoga and naturopathy practice. These two disciplines will have a state council for governance and syllabus making, just like other healing practices such as allopathy, ayurveda, yunani and homeopathy.

The cabinet on Wednesday approved a draft Bill to put in place rules and regulations in this regard. The draft will be taken up for approval in the budget session of the state legislature in the coming months. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Chandigarh already have such regulation in place.

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The Maharashtra council will register practitioners in these therapies and prepare a code of conduct. It will enjoy powers to take penal action in any professional misconduct displayed by registered practitioners and paramedics. It will also crack down on quacks in the field.

This council will accord approval to colleges and research institutes that want to run academic courses in yoga and naturopathy. The panel will also be empowered to inspect these colleges and research institutes for accreditation.

Apart from granting recognition, the council will be empowered to take action against those who practice these therapies without permits and eligibility, which will be approved by the state council. In addition, it will monitor whether degrees and diplomas are awarded as per rules and regulations.

At the Centre, the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) currently provides focused attention to the development of education and research in these disciplines. The Maharashtra council for yoga and naturopathy will adopt the rules and regulations of AYUSH, said a senior bureaucrat.

The bureaucrat said traditional naturopaths, who have no degree or diploma from recognised naturopathy institutes, may have to qualify in an examination or practicals and then register with the council.