Lok Sabha Question No. 4071 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-09
Subject: Voluntary Certification Scheme for Medicinal Plant
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT, RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK

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

## LOK  SABHA U NSTARRED QUESTION NO.4071 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH DECEMBER, 2016

## VOLUNTARY CERTIFICAT ION SCHEME FOR MEDIC INAL PLANT

## 4071. SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT: DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL "NISHANK":

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

- (a)  whether  any  training  programme  is  being  run  by  the  Government  for  the  s mall  farmers, entrepreneurs for the production, processing and marketing of herbs during the last three
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the expenditure incurred thereon;
- (c) the amount of grant/fund allocated by the Government for production of herbs during the three years;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to educate domestic and international regulatory bo aboutthe Voluntary Certification Scheme for Medicinal Plan t Produce (VCSMPP) Scheme and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  steps  taken  to  convince  the  farmers  of  medicinal  plants  and  manufacturers  of products to effectively implement the scheme?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b): Yes, from time to time, the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB),  Ministry of  AYUSH  under  its  Central  Sector  Scheme  organize  training  programmes ,  workshops, seminars etc. for farmers, entrepreneurs for cultivation/production, processing and mark herbs/medicinal plants through its Facilitation Centers in different states of the count the last three years a total of 35 such trainin g programmes/workshops/ Stakeholder meets were supported through these Facilitation Centers of NMPB.  In addition, during the last thre the NMPB under its Central Sector Scheme has also supported 74 projects in different sta conducting  train ing programmes/  workshops  /  seminars  etc.  on  various  aspects  of  medicinal plants / herbs. During the last three years, to support above training programmes/ activ NMPB has released a total of 443.66 Lakh under its Central Sector Scheme.

Contd…….

(c) : During  the  last  three  years  the  amount  of  grant/fund  allocated  for  produc cultivation of herbs/medicinal plants under NMPB, Ministry of AYUSH's Centrally Sponsored Scheme of 'National Mission on Medicinal Plants (NMMP)' and 'National AY USH Mission (NAM)' scheme is as below:

| Name of the Scheme                                        | Financial Year   |   Fund Allocated (Rs.in Lakh) |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|------------------|-------------------------------|
| Centrally Sponsored Scheme 'National Mission on Medicinal | of 2013- 14      |                       7381.95 |
| Plants (NMMP)'                                            | 2014- 15         |                       7313.88 |
| Centrally Sponsored Scheme 'National AYUSH Mission (NAM)' | of 2015- 16      |                       2779.82 |

(d) & (e) : The  NMPB,  Ministry  of  AYUSH  through  Quality  Council  of  India  (QCI)  has designed  a  Scheme  titled  'Voluntary  Certification  Scheme  for  Medicinal  Plants  Produce (VCSMPP)' based on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Field Collection Practices (GFCPs) of medicinal plants.

To  effectively  implement  the  scheme  and  its  better  acceptability,  understandin farmers, collectors and traders of the medicinal plants, the NMPB is planning strategie withQCI. In addition, the NMPB has also conducted a meeting with the Manufactures of her products/ASU&H  Drug  Manufacturing  Associations  in  the  country  and  explained  them  the scheme.

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