Priority will be given in the next 3 years to promote and conserve traditional indigenous medicine by involving well known indigenous doctors with the Department of Ayurveda and its hospital network.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa presenting the budget for 2013 to Parliament on Nov 8 proposed to implement a scheme to mobilize well known indigenous doctors to develop a genuine indigenous medical system in Sri Lanka.

He also proposed to encourage research  in indigenous medicine and food varieties that have been widely used in the past in Sri Lanka to prevent non communicable diseases. The President proposed that Rs. 300 million be allocated to launch these initiatives in 2013.