New Delhi: In a major step toward conserving India’s medicinal plant heritage and boosting public awareness, the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), under the Ministry of Ayush, signed two significant Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in the presence of Union Minister of State for Ayush (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, at Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi.
The first MoU was signed between NMPB and IshVed-Bioplants Venture, Pune, Maharashtra. The second was a tripartite MoU among NMPB, the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.
Speaking at the event, Shri Prataprao Jadhav said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a healthier and self-reliant India by 2047 inspires initiatives like these. By combining traditional knowledge with modern science, we are taking significant steps towards preserving our rich medicinal plant legacy.”
Key Objectives of the MoUs:
MoU 1: NMPB and IshVed-Bioplants Venture
- Focus: Conservation and maintenance of germplasm of rare, endangered, and threatened (RET) medicinal plants through tissue culture techniques.
- Aim: To develop sustainable tissue culture protocols to ensure supply of RET category medicinal plants for the Ayush industry.
- Outcome: Enhanced value for stakeholders and long-term sustainability of rare medicinal plant species.
MoU 2: NMPB, AIIA, and AIIMS
- Focus: Establishment of a national-level medicinal plants garden within the AIIMS New Delhi campus, implemented through AIIA.
- Aim: To promote public awareness, knowledge-sharing, and engagement with medicinal plants among patients, students, and visitors.
- Outcome: Increased visibility and understanding of medicinal plant use in traditional and modern healthcare systems.
These MoUs signify the Ministry of Ayush’s commitment to evidence-based conservation, collaborative research, and outreach in the medicinal plants sector.
The event was attended by several senior officials including Shri Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha (Secretary, Ministry of Ayush), Dr. M. Srinivas (Director, AIIMS New Delhi), and Smt. Ankita Mishra Bundela (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare), along with representatives from NMPB, AIIA, and AIIMS.
