President Murmu to inaugurate National Arogya Fair 2026 in Maharashtra's Buldhana

President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate a four-day 'National Arogya Fair 2026' in Maharashtra's Buldhana on February 25, an initiative aimed at promoting Ayush systems of medicine and creating new livelihood opportunities for farmers through medicinal plant cultivation, according to a statement released on Monday. The fair, to be inaugurated at Visava Maidan of Sant Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan in Buldhana's Shegaon, also aims to provide comprehensive health services to the public, the statement said. The initiative is being organised by the Ayush Ministry in collaboration with the All India Ayurvedic Congress. Citizens will have the opportunity to receive free health check-ups, medical consultations, and medicines across various Ayush systems, including Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, Homoeopathy, and other traditional healthcare disciplines, it said. The fair, conceived by Union Minister of Ayush Prataprao Jadhav, seeks to achieve a twin objective of enhancing the economic well-being of farmers through medicinal plant-based agriculture, and providing quality Ayush-based health services and awareness to the general public, the statement said. The event will also feature thematic exhibitions, expert lectures, yoga demonstrations, live therapy counters and interactive sessions on preventive and promotive healthcare. Several Ayush pharmaceutical and wellness companies will participate to showcase manufacturing practices, quality standards and recent research in the Ayush sector, alongside a dedicated exhibition of medicinal plants and simple home-based remedies for day-to-day health needs, the statement stated. Separate stalls will be set up for all Ayush streams under the Ministry, enabling visitors to experience the Indian traditional systems of medicine at one platform. During the fair, an initiative will be organised to encourage agroforestry and the cultivation of medicinal plants as sustainable and profitable sources of income for the local farmers. A programme on 'Ayurvedic Farming, Production and Marketing' has been scheduled on February 27, the statement said. Farmers will also receive expert guidance on cultivation, processing, value addition and marketing of forest-based and medicinal crops so that those practising traditional agriculture can integrate Ayurvedic farming and enhance their income. Jadhav has appealed to farmers to actively participate in the Ayurvedic farming and production programme and to explore the potential of medicinal plant cultivation alongside conventional crops. He said that moving part of their land towards medicinal plants will help farmers secure sustainable and remunerative income, while citizens gain access to natural treatment options.