Lok Sabha Question No. 3321 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-22
Subject: Research Conducted on the Availability of Herbs
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: SADASHIV KISAN LOKHANDE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3321

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2017)

## RESEARCH CONDUCTED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF HERBS

## 3321.    SHRI SADASHIV LOKHANDE:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Government has conducted or proposes to conduct any survey of
- forest and hilly areas of the country to find out the availability of herbs;
- (b)   if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants has made any efforts to meet the demands of herbs in the international market and earn foreign exchange; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI Y. S. CHOWDARY)

- (a)&(b) Madam, CSIR is involved in survey of the forest and hilly areas of the country  for  assessment  of  indigenous  medicinal  herbs,  to  some  extent. This includes exploration of mountain areas for medicinal plants with new therapeutic  properties  as  well  as  known  medicinal  properties.  CSIR constituent  laboratories  namely,  CSIR-Central  Institute  of  Medicinal  & Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow; CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative  Medicine  (CSIR-IIIM),  Jammu;  CSIR-Institute  of  Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur; and CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow are involved in survey, collection  and  inventorization  of  medicinal  and  aromatic  plants  from different phyto-geographical regions of  the country. CSIR-IIIM is involved in survey, collection and identification of Medicinal and aromatic plants in North Western Himalayas especially in the State of Jammu and Kashmir and  maintaining  Herbarium  and  Crude  Drug  repository.  CSIR-IHBT  is conducting floristic surveys primarily in Himachal Pradesh and created a database 'himFlorIS' on distribution and status of flowering plant resources  in  western  Himalaya.  The  database  containing  information  on about 1575 plant species of therapeutic value dwelling in Indian Himalaya. CSIR-NBRI  survey  revealed  102  medicinal  herbs  in  Kumaun  Himalayan Region  (Uttrakhand)  region  and  115  medicinal  plants  in  Tons  Valley (Garhwal Himalaya) region.

(c)&(d)  CSIR-CIMAP  is  promoting  cultivation  of  high  yielding  varieties  of medicinal and aromatic plants in the country through trainings, demonstration, awareness camps, farmers' meet, etc. at regular intervals. Due to such efforts, several commodities such as mentha oil, lemongrass oil,  senna,  etc.  are  being  produced  in  the  country  for  meeting  domestic requirement as well as for export purposes. Besides above, CSIR-CIMAP as medicinal plants focal point for India had also organized second meeting of medicinal  plants  focal  points  of  Indian  Ocean  Rim  Association  Regional Centre for Science & Technology Transfer (IORA RCTT) at Lucknow during 18-19 March, 2015  in which  delegates  from  the  member  countries including  Bangladesh,  South  Africa,  Egypt,  Indonesia,  Iran,  Madagascar, Malaysia, Sultanate of Oman, Republic of Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Iran and India participated. IORA member states have unanimously resolved to make CSIR-CIMAP as coordination centre for the medicinal  and  aromatic  plants  activities  of  IORA  to  improve  trade  and commerce of medicinal plants and their products among the IORA member states. Similarly, CSIR-CIMAP and National Institute of Medicinal Material (NIMM), Hanoi has signed an agreement on 12 th  April, 2016 for promotion of cultivation  of  medicinal  plants  and  their  business  globally  for  economic benefit of both the countries. Another meeting was held on 24 th  April, 2016 with  the  foreign  buyers  for  promotion  of  export  business  of  Indian essential oils/aroma chemicals during Asian Aroma Ingredients Congress & Expo (AAIC-2016) at Delhi.

- ******