Lok Sabha passes Homoeopathy Central Council Bill

A bill seeking to extend the period for reconstitution of the Central Council for Homeopathy (CCH) from the existing period of one year to two years was passed by the Lok Sabha Thursday.

The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019 will enable the government to extend the tenure of the Board of Governors for a further period of one year with effect from May 17, 2019.

This was the second bill which was passed by the newly-constituted Lok Sabha after the Special Economic Zone (Amendment) Bill 2019.

The Bill, which was moved by Ayush minister Shripad Naik, will replace the ordinance issued in this regard by the previous government.

The bill was opposed by Congress and other opposition parties which said the government should further examine the proposed legislation saying there should be supervision mechanism for homeopathy and ayurvedic medical institutions.

A statutory resolution moved by Congress leader of the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and amendements moved by RSP MP NK Premchandaran were negated by voice vote in the house.

Speaking on the bill, Naik said this bill aims to make the council more efficent and effective.

The affairs of the Central Homoeopathy Council have been entrusted to a Board of Governors comprising eminent and qualified homoeopathy doctors and eminent administrators till such a time the council is reconstituted.

The tenure has been extended since the council could not be reconstituted within one year due to non-updation of state registers of homoeopathy during general elections, Naik said.

Participating in the discussion, Chowdhury said the government should not resort to frequent use of ordinance and make Parliament a 'rubber stamp (to approve) ordinances...The ordinary rule should be no-ordinance."

He wanted to know why in the first place the government had failed to manage the problems which plagued the CCH for long.

The government had dissolved CCH following allegations of corruption against the CCH chief, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2016 for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh as part payment for granting approval to a homoeopathy college.

Manoj Rajoria (BJP) said all Primary Health Centres (PHCs) should have a homepopathy doctors, a suggestion which was initially made by Chowdhury.

Aparupa Poddar (Trinamool Congress) suggested that a permanent Homeopathy doctor be appointed at Rashtrapati Bhawan clinic which was functioning under a contractual system.