The National Medicinal Plants Bard (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, under its Central Sector Scheme on ‘Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants’ is supporting research & development projects on various aspects of medicinal plants to government as well as private universities/research institutions/organizations across the country.            

In addition, Research Councils viz. Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) and Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS), autonomous organizations under the Ministry of AYUSH are also engaged through its research institutions / centre / units in research & development activities on medicinal plants used in concerned system of medicine.

Besides, some premier research institutions under Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) like Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow; Indian Institute for Integrative Medicines (IIIM), Jammu; Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur; National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow; North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST), Jorhat and CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow are engaged in research on various aspects of medicinal plants. Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research (DMAPR), Anand, Gujarat under Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducts basic, applied and adaptive research on medicinal plants. In addition, a programme on Translational Research for Developing Products and Processes from Medicinal and Aromatic Plants is implemented by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) for study on various aspects of medicinal plants and aromatic plants.

Researches undertaken at Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences under Ministry of AYUSH have developed 24 new drugs. In addition, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has developed herbal formulations by their supported researches at CSIR-CIMAP, CSIR-NBRI and CSIR-CDRI and technology has been transferred to industry for its commercialization. And, ICAR- DMAPR is also focusing on researches and plant genetic resources/quality planting material. Institutes who are engaged towards developing new medicines can take the advantage of such quality planting material.

Ministry of AYUSH under its Central Sector Scheme for promotion of International Cooperation, (IC Scheme), undertakes various measures to promote & propagate AYUSH systems of medicine including Ayurveda across the globe; and to promote Ayurvedic medicine globally. In addition, the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of AYUSH has signed various Agreements/Memorandum of Understanding for promotion of Ayurveda/Ayurvedic Medicines Internationally.

The Minister of State (The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy), Sh. Kiren Rijiju (Additional Charge)stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.

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MV/SJ