The main objectives of the scheme are as follows:
• Promote in-situ conservation of medicinal plants which are important to the
AYUSH and Folk systems of medicine. In situ conservation measures would
involve survey, inventorisation and documentation of important medicinal
plants in their native/natural habitat coupled with resource augmentation in
eco-systems where they form part of the naturally occurring biotic community,
preventing degradation of such eco-systems in a holistic manner and reversing
the onslaught of invasive alien weeds;
• Promote ex-situ conservation by supporting such programs in rural/ degraded
forest/public/non-public/institutional lands/urban & peri-urban lands and waste
lands.
• Engage the Eco-Task Force mechanism for reversing habitat degradation of
medicinal plants. Conservation & development of eco-systems with medicinal
plants bio-diversity
Promote R&D in all aspects of medicinal plants, development of agrotechniques, post-harvest management, storage and processing, developing
molecular characterization tools etc. and promotion of IT.
• Enhance community mobilization and facilitate sustainable livelihood systems
based on medicinal plants for farmers, collectors and other stake holders
especially in forest fringe areas.
• Ensure Quality Assurance - Maintain Good Quality Gene Pool Sources of
medicinal plants and aromatic plants having medicinal applications. Mapping,
upgrading, modernizing of Medicinal Plants supply chain and creating/
optimizing market linkages and value addition.
• Quality standardization, Good Collection Practices and Good Agricultural
Practices for Medicinal Plants.
• Information, Education and Communication - through seminars, trainings and
exposure visits promote capacity building and human resource development
through appropriate inter-state and international exposure. Promote publication
of documents, monographs, technical bulletins, documentaries, brochures,
posters, other publicity materials, etc.
• Strengthen NMPB so as to more efficiently co-ordinate all matters related to
medicinal plants and function as a clearinghouse of information on medicinal
plants including their occurrence, usage, ethno-botanical uses, cultivation
practices, Post - harvest practices, markets etc. Institutional Strengthening
of SMPBs and creating regional/facilitation centres/Centres of Excellence to
optimize the strategic reach of the AYUSH systems.
• Promote mainstreaming of medicinal plants in climate change mitigation
strategies & promote regeneration/afforestation of medicinal plant tree species
towards carbon sequesterisation.
• Take steps to meet India’s international obligations in the context of medicinal
plant biodiversity and promote bilateral/international cooperation.
