Director of Industries and commerce and Industries Commissioner Harmander Singh on Friday called for holding expos promoting Indian medicine in all districts of the State.
Addressing the valedictory of ‘Ayush 2012,' a five-day exposition on traditional Indian medicine being organised by Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (MADITSSIA), he said that such expos could led to a healthy lifestyle among people.
Assuring the trade body of the government's support in such ventures, he said that Indian medicine was as old as civilisation itself and yet several misconceptions about it prevailed among the people. Such expo offered an opportunity to dispel those notions.
The Commissioner said that Indian medicine offered permanent cure in many cases and had less change of a re-lapse in the case of treatment. He also urged the organisers to promote physical exercises and healthy food through such events.
Tamil Nadu, Mr. Harmander Singh said, had among 15 per cent of the total small units in the country. The State government gave out subsidies to the tune of Rs. 100 crore to over 15,000 units every year.
Speaking earlier, V.S. Manimaran, MADITSSIA president said that the response from the public had been very positive.
V. Kalidoss, chairman, ‘Ayush 2012,' said that a total of around 60,000 people were expected to have visited the expo during the five days. More than 1,800 herbs were kept on display at the expo.
Suresh Babuji, Deputy Director, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development Institute, Chennai, said that automation and packaging has to be taken up in a big way if the sector has to get popular among the people.
V. Arumugam, Zonal General Manager, National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), said that such expos could even be held abroad with NSIC having the schemes to support such ventures.
Vice-Chairman of ‘Ayush 2012' S. Umapathy spoke.
There is no entry fee to the expo which is being held in MADITSSIA auditorium on Dr. Ambedkar Road. The expo timings are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It concludes on Saturday.