To make India a self-reliant nation, we have to make every Indian disease-free, Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal stated at New Delhi during the announcement of the joint National Level Project of Health Screening and Management through Ayurvedic Interventions.

This project will benefit over 20,000 Tribal Students. The Ministry of Ayush through its research council Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) has taken this health Initiative for Tribal students with the joint initiative of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and ICMR-National Institute of Research in Tribal Health (NIRTH) Jabalpur. During the announcement, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda was also present.

The project aims at screening the general health condition of the students enrolled in classes 6^th to 12^th. The screening will be carried out in selected 55  Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) spread across 14 states of the country.

The special focus is on Anaemia, Haemoglobinopathies, Malnutrition & Tuberculosis. Efforts will be made to inculcate healthy lifestyle practices among students as per the principles of Ayurveda. Also, an integrated approach will be made for the management of the diseases.