The state government on Thursday passed a bill that would render acupuncture therapy legal in the state. Maharashtra has become the second state after West Bengal to permit the therapy.

Minister for medical education Vinod Tawde, while presenting the bill for consideration in the state assembly, said acupuncture has a 2,500-year history and West Bengal was the first state to officially allow the use of the same. He said there had been instances where luminaries in the society or big leaders have benefited from the acupuncture therapy but it did not have any recognition.

Acupuncture therapy was first introduced to India in 1959 and Acupuncture Association of India was founded in 1977. West Bengal was the first state government to give legal sanction to the therapy in 1996.

Tawde said after the passage of the bill in both houses, the process to start course on acupuncture, decide the rules and regulations and other details will be initiated.