Lucknow, Aug 11 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government plans to open its first naturopathy centre in Varanasi.

A proposal to this effect has been prepared by the state Ayush Department and the draft has been sent to the Centre for approval.

Minister of State for Ayush Daya Shankar Mishra, 'Dayalu', told reporters that the land for the naturopathy centre has been identified in Chaubepur.

Apart from this, the state government has set a target of opening 12,500 Ayush wellness centres in the state and is preparing to open 1,600 by 2025.

Out of this, 500 centres have already been established, he said.

The Minister said his department has started nine hospitals with 50 beds in different districts including Varanasi, Amethi, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, among others.

These are integrated hospitals where treatment is given by methods of Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Unani.

He said the government wants people to come forward to help open Ayush hospitals and those who have one acre or less land should donate it to build the hospitals.

The state government will open such hospitals in the name of the parents or grandparents of the landowners, the Minister said.

It has already received about two dozen land proposals for this from different districts of the state, which are being considered for opening Ayush hospitals.

With this initiative, the land will be available for hospitals and the names of the ancestors of the land givers will also become immortal, he added.

The Minister also noted that during the pandemic, people have understood the importance of Ayurveda and now people are taking refuge in it for the treatment of lifestyle diseases.