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:

1.      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.

2.      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.

NB/SK