Promotion of Herbal cultivation in India

In news: Recently, Minister of State for AYUSH highlighted various initiatives related to Herbal cultivation in India

Promotion of Herbal cultivation in India

Following are the various initiatives/schemes of Ministry of AYUSH that are promoting Herbal cultivation in India:

National AYUSH Mission (NAM)

It is being implemented by Ministry of AYUSH

Under ‘Medicinal Plants’ component of the NAM scheme supporting market driven cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants in identified cluster/zones with in selected districts of States and implemented in a mission mode. As per the scheme guidelines, the support is provided for:

Cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants on farmer’s land.
Establishment of nurseries with backward linkages for raising and supply of quality planting material.
Post-harvest management with forward linkages.
Primary processing, marketing infrastructure etc.

Subsidy: Under this subsidy @30%, 50% and 75% of cultivation cost of specific plant species is provided for cultivation of 140 medicinal plants.

Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants

It is being implemented by: National Medicinal plants Board, Ministry of AYUSH

Under this scheme, following activities are supported:

In-situ conservation / Ex-situ conservation
Livelihood linkages with Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) / Panchayats / Van Panchayats / Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) / Self Help Groups (SHGs).
IEC activities like Training / workshops / Seminars/ Conferences etc.
Research & Development.
Promotion, marketing and trade of medicinal plants produce.

Atma Nirbhar Bharat

Ministry of Finance has announced Rs. 4000 crore package under Atma Nirbhar Bharat for Promotion of Herbal Cultivation.

National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB)

It was set up by the government of India in the year 2000
Currently, the board is located in the Ministry of AYUSH
NMPB is working to promote cultivation of medicinal plants and supported in a Mission mode under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of “National Mission on Medicinal Plants (NMMP)” since 2008-09 and now continuing under National AYUSH Mission (NAM), a flagship program launched by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India during XII Plan period.
The main objective of NMPB is to encourage cultivation of medicinal plants and its sustainable management across the country and to reduce pressure on the collection from wild habitat in forests.

Pradhan Mantri VRIKSH AYUSH Yojana

The Ministry of AYUSH has prepared a draft scheme namely “Pradhan Mantri VRIKSH AYUSH Yojana” for cultivation and marketing of medicinal plants which is yet to be approved by the Cabinet.

Implementation: Throughout the country.

About National AYUSH Mission (NAM)

- It was launched during the 12th plan for implementing through States/UTs
- It is a centrally sponsored flagship scheme approved and notified on 29th september 2014
- It envisages flexibility of implementation of the programmes which will lead to substantial participation of the State Governments/UT.
- The NAM contemplates establishment of a National Mission as well as corresponding Missions in the State level.