New Delhi (ABC Live): NMPB :As per information of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), an organization under Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India, estimated more than 8,000 species of herbs / medicinal plants are found in India.
The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH is presently implementing following schemes to encourage farming / cultivation, conservation and promotion of medicinal & herbal plants throughout the country:
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM). Under ‘Medicinal
Plants’ component of the NAM scheme the large scale farming / cultivation of medicinal plants is being supported. As per the scheme guidelines, the support is being provided for:
(i) Cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants on farmer’s land
(ii) Establishment of nurseries for supply of quality planting material
(iii) Post-harvest management
(iv) Primary processing, marketing infrastructure etc.
(v) Providing subsidy to farmers @ 30%, 50% and 75% based on cost of cultivation.
- Central Sector Scheme on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of
Medicinal Plants”. Under the scheme, the project based support is being provided for:
(i) In-situ conservation through development of Medicinal Plants Conservation and Development Areas (MPCDAs)
(ii) Ex-situ conservation through establishment of herbal gardens
(iii) Linkages with Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) / Panchayats / Van Panchayats / Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) / Self Help Groups (SHGs)
(iv) IEC activities (Training / workshops and Seminars etc.)
(v) Research & Development etc.
This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik in reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
