Question : MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS

(a) whether the Government has taken note of certain species of medicinal and aromatic plants which are on the verge of extinction or likely to become extinct in the near future;

(b) if so, the details of such endangered medicinal and aromatic plants in thecountry;

(c) whether the Government has set up the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) for the conservation and development of medicinal and aromatic plants in the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof indicating the activities undertaken by the NMPB and achievements made as a result thereof over the last few years; and

(e) the financial assistance provided to the farmers and State Governments for the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants in the country during each of the last three years and the current year?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI S. GANDHISELVAN)

(a) & (b): According to the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), the threatened medicinal and aromatic plants are as follows:

Aconitum balfouri, Aconitum chasmanthum, Aconitum deinorrhizum, Aconitum falconeri var latilobum, Aconitum ferox, Aconitum heterophyllum, Acorus gramineus, Allium stracheyi, Amyris balsamifera, Angelica glauca, Anogeissus sericea var. numularia, Aquillaria mallaccensis, Aquilaria khasiana, Aristolochia bracteolata, Aristolochia indica, Arnebia benthamii, Atropa acuminata, Berberis affinis, Berberis apiculata, Berberis aristata, Bergenia stracheyi, Boronia megastigma, Capparis pachyphylla, Carum villosum, Cedrus deodara, Colchicum luteum, Coptis teeta, Coscinium fenestratum, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Dioscorea deltoidea, Elaeocarpus prunifolius, Ephedra gerardiana, Ferrula gummosa, Gaultheria fragrantissima, Gentiana kurooa, Gloriosa superba, Hedychium coronarium, Hedychium spicatum, Hyoscyamus niger, Hydnocarpus macrocarpa, Inula racemosa, Iphigenia indica, Iphigenia pallida, Iphigenia stellata, Jurinea dolomiaea, Kolanchoe roseus, Madhuca insignis, Myristica fragrans, Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae, Nardostachys grandiflora, Origanum vulgare, Panax pseudoginseng, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Podophyllum hexandrum, Pogostemon cablin, Pterocarpus santalinus, Rauvolfia serpentina, Rheum emodi, Santalum album, Satureja horensis, Saussurea bracteata, Saussurea costus, Saussurea gnaphalodes, Swertia chirayita, Taxus wallichiana, Taxocarpus kurzii, Urginea indica, Urginea maritima and Vitex peduncularis.

The medicinal and aromatic plants, like other groups of plants and animals, are threatened largely due to degradation of habitat and due to various anthropogenic factors.

(c) to (e): Government has set up medicinal Plants Board to co-ordinate with Ministries / Departments/ organizations / state / UT Governments for development of medicinal plants sector in general and specifically in the areas relating to assessment of demand supply, advising on policy, promotion of conservation, proper harvesting, cultivation, quality control, research and development, processing, marketing of raw material in order to protect, sustain and develop this sector.

During the last few years the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) is also implementing “Central Sector Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” (in continuation of previous schemes) and new “Centrally Sponsored Scheme on National Mission on Medicinal Plants” since 2008-09.

Activities under Central Sector Scheme for “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” are: -

# Primarily conservation (mainly forest centric)

# Establishment of Medicinal Plants Conservation Areas (MPCAs)

# Resource augmentation in forest area

# Supporting Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMCs)

# Supporting mostly Government organizations and some NGOs for research, promotional activities on medicinal plants

# Establishment of herbal garden

Activities under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of “National Mission on Medicinal Plants” are: -

# Support for cultivation of medicinal plants with backward and forward linkages

# Supports for establishing nurseries, processing units, drying sheds and marketing of medicinal plants.

Financial assistance amounting to Rs. 3882.496 lakhs during the year 2009-10, Rs. 3430.948 lakhs during the year 2010-11, Rs. 3677.602 lakhs during the year 2011-12 and Rs. 2762.80 lakhs during the current year has been provided to the State Governments for cultivation of identified medicinal plants in the country under the Scheme.

Information regarding salient achievements of NMPB has been provided at Annexure.