Belagavi: Maratha Light Infantry leads cleanup of Savagaon Lake post-Ganesh Visarjan
Bengaluru (PTI): To protect the environment and serve the local community, the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre (LIRC) in Belagavi conducted a 'Swachhta Abhiyan' at Savagaon Lake on Monday.
The drive was organised immediately after the Ganesh Visarjan festivities, during which the lake witnessed heavy footfall and the accumulation of floral offerings, immersion residues, and plastic waste.
The cleanliness campaign was held under the guidance of Brigadier Joydip Mukherjee, Commandant of Maratha LIRC, and led on the ground by Captain Jineesh K, along with two JCOs and nearly 100 soldiers, according to a press release from the Directorate of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence.
“Local members of the Savagaon Panchayat also actively joined hands with the troops, showcasing a strong bond between the Army and the local community,” it added.
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Budget allocation to AYUSH Ministry sees 20% rise
New Delhi (PTI): Budget allocation for the AYUSH ministry saw 20 per cent increase, from Rs 3,671.82 crore (revised estimates) in FY 2025-26 to Rs 4,408.93 crore in FY 2026-27.
The government has also announced the setting up of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda to strengthen research in the field.
Presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "Ancient Indian Yoga, already respected in several parts of the world, was given a mass global recognition when the Prime Minister took it to the United Nations."
Stating that post-Covid Ayurveda has gained similar global acceptance and recognition, Sitharaman said exporting quality Ayurvedic products could help farmers who grow the herbs and the youth who process them.
To meet the global demand, she proposed setting up of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda, upgrading AYUSH pharmacies and drug-testing labs for higher standards of certification ecosystem, making available more skilled personnel, and upgrading the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar to bolster evidence-based research, training and awareness on traditional medicine.
Among the Centrally sponsored schemes, the allocation for the National AYUSH Mission has been increased from Rs 780.96 crore in FY 2025-26 to Rs 1,300 crore in FY 2026-27, registering 66.5 per cent hike.
The allocation for the All India Institute of Ayurveda has been reduced by 12 per cent.
Funding for the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda has also declined from 279.24 crore to 219.05 crore.
