Lok Sabha Question No. 104 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-15
Subject: Medicinal Plants
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: K. C. VENUGOPAL, SAUGATA ROY, ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT, KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE, KAMLA DEVI PATLE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA, YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH)

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. 104 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15 TH DECEMBER, 2017

## MEDICINAL PLANTS

## 104. SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL:

PROF. SAUGATA ROY:

SHRI ARVIND SAWANT:

SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

SHRIMATI KAMLA DEVI PAATLE:

Will  the  Minister of AYURVEDA,  YOGA  AND  NATUROPATHY,  UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH) be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the  Government  has  conducted  any  survey  to  identify  and  document  all medicinal/aromatic plants in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to formulate a national policy of medicinal and arom plants in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  preservation,  identif documentation, cultivation and commercial use of such plants along with the funds appro allocated and utilised for the purpose dur ing each of the last three years;
- (d) whether the Government is aware that in many backward regions the tribals use these as indigenous medicines for their treatment; and
- (e) if so, whether the Government proposes to open Medical Research Trainin g Centres in these backward areas and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA, YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)

- (a): Yes, the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), an organization under Ministry Environment, Forest and Climate Change mandated for survey of plant diversity of the cou its documentation at National, Regional, State and Ecosystem level and it has been car rying out survey  and  documentation  of  all  plant  resources  of  the  country  including  medicinal/aro plants.

Contd…………

As per BSI, it is estimated that more than 8000 species of medicinal/aromatic plan found in the country.

(b): Yes, Natio nal Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH has initiated the work related to formulation of a National Policy of Medicinal Plants. In this regard, th in collaboration with Federation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Stakeholders (FEDMAPS New  Delhi  had  organized  an  'International  Symposium  on  Drafting  a  National  Policy Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of India' on 19 - 20 January, 2017 at New Delhi. The outcome of said  symposium was received as a draft structure of 'National Policy  Document o f Medicinal Plants'  and  to  further  examine  the  draft  structure  of  'National  Policy  Document  of  Medicinal Plants', the NMPB had also organized one day review meeting on 22 nd November 2017.

(c): For conservation / preservation, identification and documenta tion, cultivation and commercial  use  of  medicinal  plants  in  the  country,  presently  the  Ministry  of  AYUSH implementing the following schemes:

(i) Central Sector Scheme on 'Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants' under w hich project based support is provided for survey, inventorization, -situ  /  ex - situ  conservation,  establishment  of  herbal  gardens,  linkage  with  Joint  F Management Committees (JFMCs) and  Research & Development etc.

(ii) Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme of  National  AYUSH  Mission  (NAM)  under  which  the 'Medicinal Plants' component is aimed at supporting large scale cultivation of medicinal plants on  private  land  and  the financial  assistance  in  this  regard  is  provided  as  subsidy  to  far throughout the cou ntry .  Prior to NAM, the cultivation of medicinal plants has been support under  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  'National  Mission  on  Medicinal  Plants'  of  NMPB implemented between 2008 - 09 to 2014 - 15.

The funds allocated and expenditure incurred under the a bove schemes during each of the last three years is at Annexure .

In addition, different research councils of Ministry of AYUSH viz. Central Counci Research  in  Ayurvedic  Science  (CCRAS),  Central  Council  for  Research  in  Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) and Central Council for Research i Homoeopathy  (CCRH)  are  also  involved  in  conservation  /  preservation,  identification documentation of medicinal plants. These research councils are main taining the germplasm of important medicinal plants in Herbal Gardens and carrying out identification and document and preservation of herbarium of medicinal plants.

(d) & (e): Yes, the Government is aware that in many backward regions the tribals use herbs as indigenous medicines for their treatment and the research councils of Ministry of AYUSH documenting ethno - medical claims from these areas.

However, there is no such proposal under Ministry of AYUSH to open Medical Research Training Centre s.

## Annexure

The  funds  allocated  and expenditure incurred under  Central Sector Scheme 'Conservation,  Development  and  Sustainable  Management  of  Medicinal  Plants'  and Centrally Sponsored  Scheme of National  AYUSH Mission (NAM) and Centrally Sponsored Scheme of 'National Mission on Medicinal Plants' of NMPB during last three years.

(Rs. In lakh)

| Name of the Scheme                                                                               | Year        |   Funds Allocated |   Expenditure Incurred |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------|-------------------|------------------------|
| Central Sector Scheme 'Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants' | on 2014- 15 |           6421    |                5811.26 |
|                                                                                                  | 2015- 16    |           6309    |                5294.98 |
|                                                                                                  | 2016- 17    |           6426    |                4931.84 |
| Centrally Sponsored Scheme National AYUSH Mission (NAM)                                          | 2014- 15*   |           4566.93 |                4566.93 |
|                                                                                                  | of 2015- 16 |           4593.56 |                2779.83 |
|                                                                                                  | 2016- 17    |           7012.66 |                4287.09 |

on