Question : Use of Ayurvedic Products during COVID-19

Will the Minister of AYURVEDA, YOGA AND NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY(AYUSH) be pleased to state:

(a) whether Ayurvedic products like Giloy have helped to improve the immunity of people during the Corona pandemic thereby reducing the Government and people‘s expenditure on allopathic drugs;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government proposes to increase the production of herbs including Giloy to be used in Ayurvedic drugs in future; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

(a) & (b): The Ministry of AYUSH has formed an Inter-disciplinary AYUSH R&D Task Force chaired by Prof. Bhushan Patwardhan and having representation from scientists including Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Biotechnology(DBT), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and AYUSH Institutions. The Interdisciplinary AYUSH Research and Development Task Force has formulated and designed clinical research protocols for prophylactic studies and add-on interventions in COVID-19 positive cases through thorough review and consultative process of experts of high repute from different organizations across the country for studying four different interventions viz. Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu, Guduchi + Pippali and a poly herbal formulation (AYUSH-64).The task force have taken up the proposals received from screening committees of Councils and proactively explored possibilities based on available leads. Ministry of AYUSH has constituted core group of experts under the Chairmanship of Prof. Bhushan Patwardhan to identify and propose formulations on COVID-19 which are in line with Classical Ayurveda principles and have substantial leads on COVID-19 viz. one for prophylaxis as immunomodulatory, another for management of COVID-19 with antiviral properties and one product for post COVID-19 care.
Ministry of AYUSH has launched interdisciplinary studies involving AYUSH interventions for COVID-19 based on recommendations of Task force. Under various research organizations and National Institutes under Ministry of AYUSH, 112 research studies at 141 centres in the country are being conducted on AYUSH interventions as prophylactic interventions.

(c) & (d): Government has established National Medicinal Plant Board with the objective of promotion, cultivation and marketing of medicinal plants. Government of India has announced 4000 crore package under Atma Nirbhar Bharat for Promotion of Herbal Cultivation. The Ministry of AYUSH has prepared a scheme namely Pradhan Mantri VRIKSH AYUSH Yojana” for cultivation and marketing of medicinal plants.
Under ‘Central Sponsored Scheme of Medicinal Plants’ component of National Ayush Mission the government is supporting market driven cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants in identified cluster/zones with in selected districts of States and implemented in a mission mode throughout the country. As per the scheme guidelines, the support is provided for:
(i) Cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants on farmer’s land.
(ii) Establishment of nurseries with backward linkages for raising and supply of quality planting material.
(iii) Post-harvest management with forward linkages.
(iv) Primary processing, marketing infrastructure etc.

Under this scheme, subsidy @30%, 50% and 75% of cost of its cultivation is provided for cultivation of 140 prioritized medicinal plants on farmer’s land. In the same scheme, Ministry of AYUSH is providing subsidy for cultivation of Giloe on farmer’s land throughout the country @30% of its cultivation cost per hectare i.e. Rs. 48133.31/-.