(Representational Image)
Yash Khajuria
Leh, Aug 12: The National Medicinal Plants Board, operating under the Ministry of Ayush, has embarked on significant initiatives to conserve, develop, and sustainably manage medicinal plants across the country, with a particular focus on the Union Territory of Ladakh.
In a recent development, a Central Sector Scheme has been implemented to further these objectives, with Ladakh emerging as a critical region for medicinal plant conservation due to its unique cold desert ecosystem.
As part of this initiative, the Ministry has sanctioned a project proposal titled “Establishment of Herbal Garden” at the Central Institute for Buddhist Studies (CIBS) in Leh. The project, with an allocated budget of Rs. 1.35 lakhs, aims to establish a dedicated herbal garden at the institute, contributing to the preservation and propagation of medicinal plants integral to traditional healing practices.
In a more extensive effort, a project focused on the conservation status, germplasm collection, and resource augmentation of priority medicinal plants in Ladakh’s cold deserts has also been greenlit. The project, sanctioned at Rs. 156.84 lakhs, is being implemented jointly by the Himalayan Forest Research Institute (HFRI) and the National Institute of Sowa-Rigpa (NISR), Leh. This project is pivotal in enhancing the understanding and preservation of Ladakh’s unique medicinal flora, which holds immense potential for both traditional medicine and commercial applications.
Further bolstering these efforts, an ongoing Research & Development project is being supported at NISR, Leh. This project focuses on the cultivation of endangered and commercially viable medicinal plants native to the Trans Himalaya region. With a sanctioned amount of Rs. 39.686 lakhs, the project aims to produce high-quality germplasm, ensuring the sustainable use and conservation of these valuable resources.
These initiatives were highlighted by Minister of State (IC) for Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav, in a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha, underscoring the government’s commitment to promoting traditional medicine and biodiversity conservation in Ladakh. The projects not only aim to conserve and develop medicinal plants but also to harness their potential for improving healthcare and generating economic
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