New Delhi, 16 December (H.S.): The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Prataprao Jadhav, reaffirmed the pivotal role of medicinal plant cultivation in farmer empowerment and biodiversity conservation during the second meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of AYUSH, held in New Delhi on Monday.

Chaired by Prataprao Jadhav, the meeting saw participation from Members of Parliament across political parties, including Sadanand Mhalu Shet Tanavade, Ashtikar Patil Nagesh Bapurao, and Nilesh D. Lanke. The discussions focused on advancing sustainable cultivation practices, strengthening market linkages, and ensuring the availability of quality raw materials for traditional Indian medicines.

Highlighting the government’s initiatives under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prataprao Jadhav said that integrating AYUSH systems into India’s mainstream healthcare infrastructure is essential to promote preventive health and sustainable well-being. He stressed that the strength of traditional medicine lies in the consistent supply of high-quality medicinal plants, which serve as the foundation for effective and safe AYUSH formulations.

The Minister noted that the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), over the past 25 years, has been implementing the Central Sector Scheme on “Conservation, Development, and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants.” Through 139 projects approved between 2020–21 and 2024–25, the government has sanctioned approximately ₹1,161.96 lakh for training and awareness programs, supported by seven Regional-cum-Facilitation Centres providing technical assistance nationwide.

He further emphasized the significance of the “e-Charak” digital platform, which connects medicinal plant cultivators directly with buyers, thereby improving market access and transparency.

Prataprao Jadhav also underlined the invaluable contribution of Krishi Vidyapeeths and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in spreading awareness and promoting medicinal plant cultivation as a means to enhance rural incomes.Drawing parallels with the global recognition of millets following the UN declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets, the Minister stated that similar momentum can uplift the medicinal plant sector and benefit India’s farming communities.

Concluding the session,Prataprao Jadhav expressed gratitude to the participating MPs for their constructive inputs, noting that their collaborative approach would strengthen the AYUSH ecosystem and reinforce India’s leadership in traditional medicine on the global stage.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar