Promotion of Medicinal and Herbal Plants

The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH is presently implementing following schemes to encourage conservation, farming and promotion of medicinal  and herbal plants throughout the country including North-Eastern States:

i). Central Sector Scheme on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” aimed at providing project based support for survey, inventorization, in-situconservation, ex-situ conservation / herbal gardens, linkage with Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs), Research and Development etc.  The Scheme is being implemented since 2008 and continued during the 12^th Plan.

ii). Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM) having a component on “Medicinal Plants” which is primarily aimed to promote cultivation of prioritized medicinal plants on farmers land with backward linkage through establishment of nurseries for supply of quality planting material and forward linkage for post-harvest management (setting up of storage godown, drying sheds etc.).  The cultivation of medicinal plants is supported by providing subsidy to farmers through the identified implementing agency in concerned state.  The assistance is provided as per the State Annual Action Plan approved for concerned State. Prior to NAM Scheme, the cultivation of medicinal plants was being supported under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of “National Mission on Medicinal Plants” of NMPB implemented from years 2008-09 to 2014-15.

Under the “Medicinal Plants” component of NAM Scheme, the sharing of budget is @90:10 between Central and State Government for North-Eastern and hilly states whereas for other remaining states the sharing of budget is @ 60:40 between Central and State Government.

To check the irregularities in utilization of the funds released under the above schemes, NMPB regularly carry out monitoring of the approved activities / projects through its implementing agencies in the state viz. State Medicinal Plants Boards (SMPBs) and State Mission Directors.  In addition, third party monitoring of the scheme activities / projects is also carried out through identified third party monitoring agencies.

However, in the State of Meghalaya, based on the irregularities observed by State Audit in implementation of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes by SMPB, Meghalaya for the period from April, 2009 to March, 2015, the Meghalaya State Government has already filed an FIR on 30.06.2015 to investigate the matter.

Funds allocated under “Medicinal Plants” component of Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission and released under Central Sector Scheme on Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants during the year 2015-16 in North-Eastern States

(Rs. in lakhs)