Ministry of Defence has approved the setting up of AYUSH OPD facilities at 10 selected ECHS Polyclinics under Phase-I as a pilot project. The decision is expected to provide ECHS beneficiaries with greater access to Ayurveda-based outpatient treatment closer to their respective Polyclinics.
The approval has been conveyed by the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare (DoESW), Ministry of Defence, through a letter dated 23 September 2026, File No. 22B(15)/2025/(WE)D/(Res-I), addressed to the Managing Director, ECHS, Delhi Cantt.
The order follows earlier in-principle approvals for setting up AYUSH OPD Clinics and the approval of the ECHS AYUSH Policy.
What Is the New ECHS AYUSH OPD Initiative?
Under the latest Ministry of Defence communication, AYUSH OPD facilities may be started at 10 selected ECHS Polyclinics as a Phase-I pilot project.
The initiative is intended to make AYUSH consultation and treatment facilities available within designated ECHS Polyclinics rather than requiring beneficiaries to depend only on separate AYUSH facilities.
The 10 selected ECHS Polyclinics are:
| S. No. | ECHS Polyclinic |
| 1 | PC Ambala |
| 2 | PC Mysore |
| 3 | PC Ranchi |
| 4 | PC Nagpur |
| 5 | PC Bhopal |
| 6 | PC Bhubaneswar |
| 7 | PC Chennai |
| 8 | PC Meerut |
| 9 | PC Danapur |
| 10 | PC Alleppey (Alappuzha) |
These Polyclinics will form the initial Phase-I group for the pilot implementation.
13 AYUSH Doctors and 10 Pharmacists to Be Engaged
One of the important provisions of the Ministry of Defence order is the approval for engaging 13 AYUSH Doctors and 10 AYUSH Pharmacists on a contractual basis.
The engagement will be for a period of 11 months, following the established procedure applicable to contractual employment under ECHS.
The order also states that requisite technical support in the selection of AYUSH Doctors and Pharmacists would be provided by the regional institutes of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), as referred to in the Ministry of AYUSH communication dated 18 August 2026.
This provision is significant because the pilot project will require appropriately qualified AYUSH medical and pharmacy personnel to operate the new OPD facilities.
Annual Staffing Expenditure of About ₹1.92 Crore
According to the Ministry of Defence communication, the estimated annual expenditure on staffing for the 10 selected Polyclinics is approximately:
₹1.92 crore per year
This expenditure relates to the approved staffing arrangement involving AYUSH Doctors and Pharmacists for the pilot project.
In addition to recurring staffing expenditure, the order also provides for one-time capital expenditure for IT hardware and infrastructure.
One-Time Capital Expenditure
The document mentions approximately:
- ₹11 lakh for IT hardware
- ₹9 lakh for infrastructure
Thus, the approximate one-time capital requirement mentioned in the order is ₹20 lakh, apart from the recurring annual staffing expenditure.
Treatment to Be Governed by ECHS AYUSH Policy
The Ministry’s order specifically states that treatment of ECHS beneficiaries at the designated 10 Polyclinics will be governed by the ECHS AYUSH Policy.
This is important because the establishment of an AYUSH OPD at an ECHS Polyclinic does not mean that the existing ECHS treatment rules are automatically replaced. Beneficiaries will continue to be covered by the applicable ECHS AYUSH treatment provisions.
The Central Organisation ECHS has already published an AYUSH policy/advisory framework for ECHS beneficiaries. The official ECHS policy page lists the Policy on Treatment of ECHS Beneficiaries under AYUSH dated 12 September 2025.
What Does AYUSH Mean?
AYUSH represents the major Indian systems of traditional and complementary medicine:
- A – Ayurveda
- Y – Yoga & Naturopathy
- U – Unani
- S – Siddha
- H – Homoeopathy
The ECHS framework has provisions for beneficiaries to access AYUSH treatment through designated facilities.
The existing ECHS guidelines also provide for empanelment of eligible AYUSH hospitals having appropriate OPD/IPD facilities, subject to the applicable ECHS requirements.
Existing ECHS AYUSH Policy and the New Pilot Project
The latest development should be viewed as an operational expansion of AYUSH facilities within selected ECHS Polyclinics.
Earlier ECHS provisions already permitted beneficiaries to access AYUSH treatment through specified Government AYUSH hospitals, colleges, Government dispensaries and other eligible Government healthcare facilities, subject to the applicable rules and permissions.
The 2025 ECHS AYUSH advisory also clarified important aspects concerning the use of AYUSH and Allopathic treatment. According to the ECHS advisory, when AYUSH treatment is chosen for a specific disease/body system, Allopathic treatment may continue for other diseases/body systems, subject to the applicable policy provisions.
Therefore, the Phase-I project represents an additional facility at selected ECHS Polyclinics rather than a completely separate healthcare scheme.
Why the 10-Polyclinic Pilot Is Important for ECHS Beneficiaries
The pilot approach allows ECHS authorities to introduce AYUSH OPD facilities in a controlled manner before considering any wider expansion.
The selected Polyclinics cover different regions of the country, including:
North India: Ambala and Meerut
Central India: Bhopal and Nagpur
East India: Ranchi, Bhubaneswar and Danapur
South India: Mysore, Chennai and Alleppey (Alappuzha)
This geographical spread can provide useful operational experience regarding beneficiary demand, staffing requirements, infrastructure, medicines and overall functioning of AYUSH OPDs within the ECHS environment.
ECHS Beneficiaries May Get AYUSH Consultation at Designated Polyclinics
Once the facilities become operational at the selected locations, eligible ECHS beneficiaries will be able to access the AYUSH OPD services in accordance with the applicable ECHS AYUSH Policy.
Beneficiaries should, however, distinguish between approval of the pilot project and actual commencement of OPD services.
The Ministry’s letter authorises the AYUSH OPD facility to be started at the designated Polyclinics, but beneficiaries should follow the instructions issued by their respective ECHS Polyclinic regarding the actual date of commencement, OPD timings, registration procedure, availability of doctors, medicines and referral requirements.
Ministry of Defence Gives Financial Concurrence
The order also records that the communication was issued with the concurrence of Ministry of Defence (Finance/Pension) through ID No. 10(1)/2025/Fin./Pen. dated 21 September 2026.
This provides an important administrative step toward implementation of the pilot project because the proposed staffing and capital expenditure have financial implications.
Role of CCRAS in Selection of AYUSH Medical Staff
The order refers to technical assistance from regional institutes of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) in the selection of AYUSH Doctors and Pharmacists.
This is intended to provide technical support to ECHS in the process of identifying suitable AYUSH medical personnel for the designated Polyclinics.
The arrangement also reflects coordination between the Ministry of Defence/ECHS and the Ministry of AYUSH ecosystem for implementation of the pilot project.
Is This Available at All ECHS Polyclinics?
No.
The present order specifically concerns 10 ECHS Polyclinics under Phase-I as a pilot project.
Therefore, ECHS beneficiaries should not assume that AYUSH OPD facilities have been approved simultaneously for every ECHS Polyclinic across India.
The 10 Polyclinics listed in the Annexure are the locations identified for this initial phase.
Any future expansion to additional Polyclinics would require separate administrative decisions and implementation arrangements.
List of 10 ECHS Polyclinics for AYUSH OPD – Phase I
For easy reference, the complete list is:
- ECHS Polyclinic Ambala
- ECHS Polyclinic Mysore
- ECHS Polyclinic Ranchi
- ECHS Polyclinic Nagpur
- ECHS Polyclinic Bhopal
- ECHS Polyclinic Bhubaneswar
- ECHS Polyclinic Chennai
- ECHS Polyclinic Meerut
- ECHS Polyclinic Danapur
- ECHS Polyclinic Alleppey (Alappuzha)
What ECHS Beneficiaries Should Know
ECHS beneficiaries residing near these 10 Polyclinics should wait for local implementation instructions before visiting specifically for AYUSH OPD services.
The following details may be notified separately by ECHS/Regional Centres or the concerned Polyclinics:
- Date of commencement of AYUSH OPD
- OPD timings
- Registration procedure
- Names/designation of AYUSH Doctors
- Availability of AYUSH medicines
- Referral procedure
- Treatment categories and services
- Follow-up procedure
- Availability of pharmacists
- Conditions for referral to other AYUSH facilities
Therefore, beneficiaries should rely on official ECHS instructions for operational details.
Phase-I Pilot May Pave the Way for Wider AYUSH Facilities
The present initiative is particularly significant because it moves AYUSH services closer to the ECHS Polyclinic network.
The project will also provide ECHS authorities with practical experience regarding the demand for AYUSH services, staffing pattern, infrastructure requirements, expenditure and beneficiary response.
If the pilot operates successfully, future administrative decisions could consider expansion to additional ECHS Polyclinics. However, no such wider expansion is announced in the 23 September 2026 order itself, and beneficiaries should not treat it as a nationwide rollout.
Key Points at a Glance
| Particular | Details |
| Authority | Ministry of Defence, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare |
| Order Date | 23 September 2026 |
| Project | AYUSH OPD at ECHS Polyclinics |
| Phase | Phase-I Pilot Project |
| Number of Polyclinics | 10 |
| AYUSH Doctors | 13 |
| AYUSH Pharmacists | 10 |
| Contract Period | 11 months |
| Annual Staffing Cost | Approximately ₹1.92 crore |
| IT Hardware CAPEX | Approximately ₹11 lakh |
| Infrastructure CAPEX | Approximately ₹9 lakh |
| Technical Support | Regional institutes of CCRAS |
| Governing Framework | ECHS AYUSH Policy |
Conclusion
The Ministry of Defence’s 23 September 2026 order for setting up AYUSH OPDs at 10 ECHS Polyclinics is an important development for ECHS healthcare services.
The initiative will begin as a Phase-I pilot project at Ambala, Mysore, Ranchi, Nagpur, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Meerut, Danapur and Alleppey (Alappuzha).
With approval for 13 AYUSH Doctors and 10 AYUSH Pharmacists, an estimated annual staffing expenditure of ₹1.92 crore, and additional capital expenditure for IT hardware and infrastructure, the project provides an institutional framework for bringing AYUSH OPD services directly into selected ECHS Polyclinics.
ECHS beneficiaries should keep checking official ECHS/Regional Centre communications for the actual commencement dates and operational instructions at their respective Polyclinics.
Primary Source: Government of India, Ministry of Defence, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, File No. 22B(15)/2025/(WE)D/(Res-I), dated 23 September 2026, including Annexure-I listing the 10 selected ECHS Polyclinics.