Dr. Avnish Jolly, 25th July, 2008 :Government of India sanctioned Rs.6.3 billion for creating a National Mission on Medicinal Plants. The scheme will be implemented by the National Medicinal Plants Board through the Department of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy systems of Indian medicine), a statement issued after a meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
According to the sources the Mission proposes to bring 80,000-100,000 hectares of land under medicinal plants by 2011-12. This will be done through direct financial assistance for cultivation. An almost equal area will be covered by providing incentives to farmers to switch over from traditional crops to medicinal plants. About 200 nurseries will be established, both in the public and private sectors, for making available planting material of certified quality.
The interventions are expected to generate approximately 6 crore (60 million) man-days of employment by 2011-12. The Mission would help in developing the medicinal plants sector through production of raw material of quality and standardized constituents for use by the AYUSH/herbal industry.
It would also push exports ‘and thereby enhance the quality and acceptability of AYUSH systems of medicine and promote export of value added items for an increased share in the world market.