(a) whether the Government has taken steps to plant herbal and fruit bearing trees in place of wild bushes in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to implement any such scheme in various areas of Delhi; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)
(a) to (d): Yes, Madam. Presently, the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH is implementing a “Central Sector Scheme on Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” throughout the country. Under the above scheme, project based support is provided as per scheme guidelines for resource augmentation/plantation of medicinal plants of herbs, shrubs, trees category in wild/forest areas throughout the country for their conservation and sustainable availability.
National Afforestation & Eco-Development Board (NAEB), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC), is also implementing National Afforestation Programme (NAP) for afforestation and eco-restoration of degraded forests in the country through people’s participation involving the Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) at village level, Forest Development Agency (FDA) at Forest Division level and State Forest Development Agency (SFDA) at State level. To promote medicinal plantation in the country, the National Afforestation Programme (NAP) scheme has the provision for raising herbal and medicinal plants through ‘Regeneration of perennial herbs and shrubs of medicinal value’ as one of the seven plantation models. The plantation of species is selected by the members of JFMC based on their needs, ecological conditions and other local factors in consultation with the State Forest Department. The native forest species are encouraged for plantation in the forest area giving importance to trees with multiple uses including fruit bearing trees.
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