National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush is implementing a Central Sector Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants throughout the country. The scheme is aimed at providing project-based support throughout the country for different activities. The “Forward and backward linkage in supply chain of medicinal plants” is one of the component of Central Sector Scheme under which the following activities are supported:

• Infrastructure for Quality Planting Material to raise the planting material of medicinal plants for cultivation.
• Information Education Communication (IEC) activities to aware the farmers.
• Infrastructure for Post-Harvest Management and Marketing to increase the marketability of the medicinal plants, adding value to the produce, increasing profitability and reducing losses.
• Quality Testing and Certification of raw material.

Till date, NMPB, Ministry of Ayush has approved 09 projects under “Forward and Backward Linkage in Supply Chain of Medicinal Plants (Integrated Component)” throughout the country including tribal districts. The project based support was provided to the states viz. Andhra Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir, Mizoram and Uttarakhand during the Financial Year 2023- 24 and for the states viz Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu during the Financial Year 2024-25.

The technical assistance was provided for 371 farmers (including tribal farmers) during the Financial Year 2023-24 and for 1635 farmers (including tribal farmers) during the Financial Year 2024-25 throughout the country under the projects supported for “Forward and backward linkage in supply chain of medicinal plants (Integrated Component)”. The detail is given at Annexure-I.

As per information received from Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)–Centrally Sponsored Scheme, a provision has been made for providing financial assistance for area expansion of short duration medicinal plants. Details of cost norms alongwith the pattern of assistance is given at Annexure – II.

As per the inforamtion received from Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), Ministry of Tribal Affairs supports value addition, processing and marketing of forest and agricultural produce gathered by tribal communities under Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM)” and Pradhan Mantri - Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) scheme.

Local employment was created through project activities approved under integrated component where community members were engaged in filling of polypots for nursery development, providing short-term income especially to women. Local skilled workers and unskilled helpers were hired for the construction of Rural collection Centre. These efforts led to direct income generation and promoted inclusive economic growth at the grassroots level.

 

Annexure-I

Name of the Districts and no. of farmers covered for cultivation of medicinal plants under Forward and backward linkage in supply chain of medicinal plants (Integrated Component) of Central Sector Scheme “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” during the financial year 2023-24 and 2024-25:

 

S. No.	State	District	No. of Farmers (including tribal farmers)
Financial year 2023-24
1	Andhra Pradesh	Alluri Sitha Rama Raju (ASR)	65
		Parvathipuram Manyam	38
2	Jammu & Kashmir	Kupwara	20
		Rajouri	4
3	Mizoram	Serchhips	145
4	Uttarakhand	Chamoli	50
		Bageshwar	21
		Pithoragarh	24
		Uttarkashi	2
		Rudraprayag	2
	Total		371
Financial year 2024-25
1	Gujarat	Ambreli	900
2	Karnataka	Udupi	39
		Dakshin Kannada	2
3	Kerala	Thrissur	144
4	Madhya Pradesh	Khandwa	500
5	Tamil Nadu	Coimbatore	50
	Total		1635

 

Annexure – II

 

Details of cost norms alongwith the pattern of assistance under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme is given below:

 

S. No.	Name of the Component	Cost Norms	Pattern of Assistance
1.	Medicinal Plants (Mulethi, Shatavari, Kalihari, Shwet Musali, Guggle, Manjishtha, Kutki, Atees, Jatamansi, Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Tulsi, Vidarikand, Pippali, Chirata, Pushkarmool etc.)	Rs. 1,50,000/ha	Assistance @ 40% in general areas for an area upto 2 hectare on pro rata basis for meeting the expenditure on planting material and cost of material for Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) / Integrated Pest Management (IPM) etc. in 2 instalments of 60:40. In the case of North Eastern & Himalayan States, Scheduled areas, vibrant villages, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, assistance will be @ 50% for an area upto 2 hectare on pro rata basis.

 

This information was given by Union Minister of State (I/C) of the Ministry of Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

****

MV/GS/SG

(Release ID: 2152588)