Lok Sabha Question No. 2171 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-15
Subject: Species of Medicinal Plants
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Margani Bharat, Maddila  Gurumoorthy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA

## ADMITTED UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2171 ANSWERED ON 15 th  DECEMBER 2023

## 'Species of Medicinal Plants'

## 2171. SHRI MARGANI BHARAT: SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  true  that  as  much  as  10  percent  of  900  major  medicinal  plant species  found  in  India  fall  under  the  'threatened'  category,  as  per  experts observations;
- (b) if so, the details of the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to rectify and deal with reported causes, such as over-exploitation, drug industry's high dependence on wildlife population, habitat destruction and urbanisation;
- (c) the  details  of  the  percentage  of  medicinal  plants  native  to  India  that  are currently being cultivated;
- (d) whether the Government has taken any initiatives to encourage the cultivation of medicinal plants, considering their health benefits; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF AYUSH (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a)  &  (b)  : The  Botanical  Survey  of  India  (BSI)  mandated  for  survey  of  plant  diversity  of country and its documentation including medicinal plants. As per BSI,  about 8,000 species of medicinal and aromatic plants are found in the country and about 76 species of medicinal and aromatic plants with high commercial value became endangered or critically endangered due to over-exploitation,  high  dependence  of  drug  Industry's  on  wild  population,  habitat  destruction and urbanisation etc.

For  protection  of  wild  population  of  medicinal  plants,  the  Government  has  taken following steps:

- i. The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush provided supports for in-situ conservation of medicinal plants in their natural habitats by way of establishment of  Medicinal  Plants  Conservation  and  Development  Areas  (MPCDAs)  and  Ex-situ conservation by way of establishing Herbal Garden / Germplasm Banks / Seed Bank etc. outside designated forest areas.
- ii. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) formulated Wildlife (Protection)  Act,  1972,  to  accord  protection  of  forests  and  their  components  including medicinal plants.
- iii. MoEF&CC through National Biodiversity Authority implementing Biological Diversity Act,  2002  to  regulate  the  access  of  biological  resources  and  knowledge  associated thereto,  including  the  medicinal  plants  for  the  research,  commercial  utilization,  biosurvey and bio-utilization.

(c) : As  per  Demand  &  Supply  study  of  medicinal  plants  in  India  published  in  2017  by NMPB, Ministry of Ayush it is estimated that about 1178 species of medicinal plants are in trade out of which 242 species are in high commercial demand (>100 MT per year). As per study it is also estimated that about 15% of the medicinal plants species forming the source of herbal raw drugs in India are cultivated and 85% sourced from the wild.

(d) & (e) : Yes, to encourage the cultivation of medicinal plants, the Ministry of Ayush has taken following initiatives:

- i. Implemented  'Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  National  Mission  of  Medicinal  Plants' w.e.f.  2008-09  to  2014-15  and  'Medicinal  Plants'  Component  of  Centrally  Sponsored Scheme  of  National  Ayush  Mission  w.e.f.  2014-15  to  2020-21.  As  per  the  scheme guidelines, the support was provided for:
2. (a) Cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants on farmer's land.
3. (b) Establishment of nurseries with backward linkages for raising and supply of quality planting material.
4. (c) Post-harvest management with forward linkages.
5. (d) Primary processing, marketing infrastructure etc.
- ii. Implementing  'Central  Sector  Scheme  on  Conservation,  Development  and  Sustainable Management  of  Medicinal  Plants',  under  which  project  based  support  is  provided  to

Government  and  Non-Government  Organizations  for  development  of  Quality  Planting Material  (QPM)  of  medicinal  plants  and  their  distribution  to  farmers  for  cultivation; development of agro-techniques and varieties of medicinal plant species; impart training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Field Collection Practices (GFCPs) to farmers / growers of medicinal plants.