National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush promotes the desert medicinal plants such as Guggul (Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari) and Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) through AYUSH-based value chain development and cultivation initiatives through its Regional-cum-Facilitation Centres (RCFCs) in different geographical regions across the country by providing Quality Planting Material (QPM) to the farmers for cultivation initiative including training programs on GAP & value addition of these medicinal plants. Further, NMPB under its “Central Sector Scheme on Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” have provided project based support to State Forest Departments in desert, arid and semi-arid states like Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for in-situ conservation of medicinal plants in their natural habitats by way of establishing Medicinal Plants Conservation and Development Areas (MPCDAs), Resource Augmentation/ Plantation of medicinal plants species in forest areas through in-situ resource augmentation. The financial assistance to State Forest Department in this regard is provided as per the cost norms of the Scheme guidelines provisions.

1. National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush, Government of India is implementing Central Sector Scheme on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” throughout the country to promote the cultivation of medicinal plants wherein following activities are supported:

1. Information Education & Communication (IEC) activities like Training / Workshops / Seminars/ Conferences etc.

2. Forward and backward linkage in supply chain of medicinal plants (Integrated Component).

3. In-situ conservation / Ex-situ conservation.

4. Livelihood linkages with Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) / Panchayats / Van Panchayats / Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) / Self Help Groups (SHGs).

5. Research & Development.

6. Promotion, marketing and trade of medicinal plants produce.

In addition, to provide a platform for trade of Medicinal Plants & easy market access, NMPB has launched “e-CHARAK” mobile application as well as web portal for promotion and marketing of medicinal plants/herbs. The “e-CHARAK” is a platform to enable information exchange between various stakeholders mainly farmers involved in the medicinal plants sector across the country. The “e-CHARAK” application supports different local languages and it also provides fortnightly market price of 100 MPs from 25 herbal markets across India. Currently, e-Charak mobile has Registered users-11,119; Total visitors-30565540; Posted items-7,588; Buyer Sellers Interactions-7114690.

 (c) The cultivation activities are not supported under the Central Sector Scheme. However, NMPB, Ministry of Ayush has supported projects under Forward and Backward Linkage in Supply Chain of Medicinal Plants (Integrated Component) of existing Central Sector Scheme from the F.Y. 2023-24, wherein project based support is provided for Infrastructure for Quality Planting Material to raise the planting material of medicinal plants for cultivation, Information Education Communication (IEC) activities to aware the farmers, Infrastructure for Post-Harvest Management and Marketing to increase the marketability of the medicinal plants, adding value to the produce, increasing profitability and reducing losses, Quality Testing and Certification of raw material.

Till date, National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of Ayush has approved total 15 project proposals to the different states including Rajasthan and Gujarat under Forward and Backward Linkages in supply chain of Medicinal Plants (Integrated Component) of Central Sector Scheme of NMPB from the Financial Year 2023 -24 to cover approximately 2000 hectare area under cultivation of medicinal plants by providing the Quality Planting Material to the farmers. Details are given at Annexure-1.

Further, NMPB also support Information Education & Communication (IEC) activities like Training / Workshops / Seminars/ Conferences etc. under this scheme and has supported 138 projects for organizing training program/seminars/workshops for promotion of cultivation of medicinal plants throughout the country during the financial year 2020-21 to 2024-25, for an amount of Rs.1171.94 Lakh. The details are given at Annexure-2.

 

                                                                                                                                 Annexure- 1

Details of projects approved under Integrated Component of Central Sector Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants

 

Annexure-2

The details of projects [Information Education & Communication (IEC)] sanctioned under the Central Sector Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants in the country during the last five years, State/UT-wise

 

This information was given by the Minister of State (IC) for Ayush Shri Pratap Rao Jadhav in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on 20th MARCH 2026. 

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