Lok Sabha Question No. 240 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-07-21
Subject: Traditional Medicinal Plants in Tribal Areas
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: P. Ravindhranath

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 240 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST JULY, 2023

## 'TRADITIONALMEDICINALPLANTS IN TRIBALAREAS'

## 240. SHRI P. RAVINDHRANATH:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has any plan to identify traditional medicinal plants used by the tribal inhabitants of Tamil Nadu for treating different ailments;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the subsequent documentation of the associated knowledge of said medicinal plants in order to promote the research especially in ethnomedicines across the country; and

(c) the details of the financial assistance provided/ proposed to be provided for promoting and farming of medicinal plants under National AYUSH Mission (NAM), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme during the last three financial years and current year in Tamil Nadu?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OFAYUSH (SHRI SARBANANDASONOWAL)

(a): Yes Sir, the Ministry of Ayush, through its various Research Councils viz. Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) and Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) are actively involved in identifying traditional medicinal plants used by the tribal inhabitants of Tamil Nadu for treating different ailments through their various regional institutes located at Tamil Nadu.

(b): CCRAS is actively involved in collecting and documenting the traditional practices and herbal formulations by the various programs, viz. Medico Ethno-Botanical Survey (MEBS) and Tribal Health Care Research programme (THCRP). Captain Srinivasa Murthy Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CSMCARI) Chennai, one of the regional institutes of CCRAS, is actively involved in exploring medicinal plants and documenting Local Health Traditions (LHTs) in Tamil Nadu. Under the MEBS program, since its inception, a total of 287 medicinal plants have been listed from the Tribal Pockets of Nilgiris; 67 medicinal plants have been reported from Kani Tribes Western Ghats of Agasthyamalai of Tamil Nadu and 234 medicinal plants from Irula Tribes of Thandarai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram District.

Further, CCRAS is actively executing Tribal Health Care Research Programme (THCRP) in Tamil Nadu through its regional institute, Dr. Achanta Lakshmipati Regional Ayurveda Research Institute (ALARCA) Chennai. Since its inception, 104 LHTs have been documented in Tamil Nadu.

CCRUM, through its Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Chennai, has conducted more than 80 ethnobotanical surveys to identify and document folklore claims used by tribals and rural inhabitants in Tamil Nadu. Overall, 566 folklore claims were documented and published as Books, viz. Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Southern IndiaPart-I, Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Southern IndiaPart-II and Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Southern India- Part-III (folklore documented from Tamil Nadu).

CCRH, through its Centre for Medicinal Plant Research in Homoeopathy, Ooty, Tamil Nadu is engaged in surveying and collecting medicinal plants used in Homoeopathy. CCRH published a book entitled "Plants in Ethnomedicine of the Nilgiri Tribes in Tamil Nadu, India' in the year 2009, which comprises the ethnobotanical uses of medicinal plants used by Nilgiri tribal groups. In this book, the ethnobotanical uses of more than 150 medicinal plants have been reported.

CCRS, under its various Intra-Mural Research (IMR), is involved in documenting ethnomedicinally important plants and their uses from the tribal communities in Tamil Nadu. Research has been conducted on the ethnomedicinally important plants for common ailments in Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu, and the folklore of 288 medicinal plants has been documented in 2017-2020. Also, 346 raw drug specimens (214 taxa) have been collected, and 255 Herbarium sheets from 1478 voucher specimens have been prepared and deposited for further studies. Digitalization of Herbarium, Museum and compilation of folklore claims of Siddha Medicinal Plant Unit (SMPU), Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu has also been performed during the year 1971 to 2008 and documented 663 medico ethno-botanical claims and published in the form of a book entitled 'Digitization of Herbarium and Compilation of Folklore claims'. From 2016 to 2019, study surveys were made in the Patthiramadivu, Sundaikadu, Hemmampatti, Ramanpatti, Sothankadu, Periyaelaikadu areas at Palamalai Hills and 104 folklore claims were documented.

In addition, the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush, under its Central Sector Scheme on 'Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants' has also supported the R&D project on survey, identification and documentation of medicinal plants in Tamil Nadu state. During the previous year, one research project, "Quantitative documentation of medicines used in Varmam therapeutics by the non-institutionally trained Siddha Practitioners of Southern Tamil Nadu', was supported.

(c): Ministry of Ayush, Government of India had implemented the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the National Ayush Mission (NAM) during the financial year 2015-16 to 2020-21 to promote the cultivation of Medicinal Plants throughout the country, including Tamil Nadu. However, the sheme was implimented upto 2020-21. Presently the medicinal plant component is no more part of NAM.

Under the said scheme financial assistance of Rs. 1104.294 lakhs has been provided during the financial year 2015-16 to 2020-21. Details are given below:

(Rs. In Lakhs)

| State      |   2015-16 |   2016-17 |   2017-18 |   2018-19 |   2019-20 |   2020-21 |   Total |
|------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|---------|
| Tamil Nadu |   144.224 |   252.712 |   228.275 |   173.088 |   305.995 |         0 | 1104.29 |