Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has announced to regulate practice of yoga system of treatment in Jammu and Kashmir.
In this connection, government will bring a Bill in state legislative assembly on Monday which calls for an amendment Ayurvedic and Unani Practitioners Act to bring it at par with Central Act and regulate practice of Yoga System of treatment in the State.
“At present there was no law regulating the practice of Yoga System of treatment in the State of J&K. There have been repeated requests from practitioners of Yoga System to give them statutory recognition.”
As per statement of facts, the government said it has become imperative to amend “the Jammu and Kashmir Ayurvedic and Unani Practitioners Act 1950” to bring it at par with the Central Act in this behalf.
In order to curb quackery, the government said, it was considered necessary to regulate the practice of Yoga practitioners and to provide for registration of persons practising Yoga System.
The punishment for any person practising without being registered under the Act or pretending falsely to be registered practitioner was Rs 200 only. “The punishment is very minor which has encouraged quackery. The punishment needs to be deterrent to impose curbs on violation. Therefore proportionate and condign punishment of fine and imprisonment has been proposed by amending sections 26 and 35.”
Whoever falsely pretends to be a registered practitioner, whether any person is actually deceived by such pretence or not or voluntarily and falsely assumes or uses any title or description or any addition to his name implying that he holds a degree, diploma, license or certificate, granted by any authority shall on conviction be punishable with a fine which may extend to twenty thousand rupees or with imprisonment which may extend to one year or with both, the Bill said.
The Central Act was applicable to whole of India including Jammu and Kashmir and some provisions of State Act are inconsistent with Central Act and have thus become obsolete. “Therefore it is imperative that the State Act be brought at par with the Central Act.”
As for Central Act, only those qualifications are recognised qualifications which are included in Schedules I, II, 111 A IV of the I. M. C. C. Act of 1970. This being so, the schedule of State Act needs to be updated in accordance with Central Act, it said.
“There is no provision for establishment of an Ayurvedic, Unani Institution in the principal Act nor any provision for conduct of examination of institutions affiliated to the Board and procedure to be adopted for recognition of institutions and examinations and de-recognition. Therefore sections 40, 41, 42 and 43 have been proposed to be added.”
Regarding de-recognition and removal, the Bill said: “If it appears to the Government on the report of the Director, Indian Systems of Medicine that the courses of study and examinations prescribed by any of the institutions are not such so as to secure the maintenance of an adequate standard of proficiency for the practice of Ayurvedic, Unani, Sowa Rigpa (Amchi), Yoga and Naturopathy System, it shall be lawful for the Government to de-recognition such institution and such institutions shall not be authorized to hold a qualifying examination.”
