Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Tuesday that his government would form a new ayush (ayurveda, yoga & naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy) department.

So far, ayush has been a part of the health and family welfare department. Sources said that the new department will push affordable and preventive healthcare in rural areas.

“We have decided that we will set up a new ayush department in the state where energetic and young officers will work. The proposal will be discussed in the state cabinet,” Suvendu said after an administrative review meeting in Nadia's Kalyani on Tuesday.

Sources said that the BJP-led central government pushed for ayush since it came to power in 2014.

“Ayush promotes traditional Indian medicine, which aligns directly with the BJP's broader political agenda of highlighting the country's indigenous knowledge system. It was evident that the Bengal BJP government would toe the line,” said a source.

The previous Trinamool Congress-led state government did not ignore ayush, although it did not make it a separate department.

“The previous state government had taken the initiative to recruit ayurvedic and homeopathic doctors in the health department. It also observed World Yoga Day under the guidance of the Union ministry of ayush. But it did not push the initiative aggressively. Now the new Bengal government will set up a new department on the lines of the ayush ministry in the Centre,” said an official.