53 species of medicinal plants are under threatened categories: AYUSH Minister

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik through written reply to a question in Lok Sabha informed that 53 species of medicinal plants are under threatened categories.

The Government has taken note of the survey by Botanical Survey of India (BSI) that out of 8,000 medicinal plants, following 53 species are under threatened categories like Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable.

For conservation and development of medicinal plants in the country, presently the NMPB is implementing Central Sector Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants.

The Scheme is aimed at providing project based support for survey, inventorization, in-situ conservation through development of Medicinal Plants Conservation and Development Areas (MPCDAs), ex-situ conservation through establishment of herbal gardens, linkage with Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) / Panchayats / Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) for value addition activities like drying, grading, storage, primary processing and Research & Development etc. Under the above activities specific focus is given for conservation and development of threatened category of medicinal plants.

For promoting the cultivation of natural herbs and medicinal plants in the country, presently, the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM). Under the NAM Scheme, there is a component on ‘Medicinal Plants’ which primarily aimed at supporting cultivation of natural herbs and medicinal plants on farmer’s land with backward linkages through establishment of nurseries for the supply of quality planting material, and forward linkages for post-harvest management.

The cultivation programme is being implemented through the identified implementing agency of concerned state (generally State Agriculture / Horticulture Departments) and the financial assistance is provided as per the State Annual Action Plan approved for concerned State. The financial assistance is provided in the form of subsidy @ 30%, 50% and 75% of cost of cultivation of medicinal plants.

Funds released under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of "National Mission of Medicinal Plants" and for component of Medicinal Plants under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM) during last three years i.e. 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 is Rs. 4566.93 lakhs, 2779.8238 lakhs and 4287.097 lakhs respectively.