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Centre permits medicinal plant cultivation under MGNREGA to boost cultivation & employment
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Nandita Vijay, Bengaluru
March 18 , 2021
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In a major effort to augment the cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants, the Union Ministries of Ayush and Rural Development have now permitted medicinal plant cultivation under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). In this regard, guidelines are issued to channelize the process.
The government has recognized the scope for convergence between plantation of medicinal tree species in Ayush and NMPB (National Medicinal Plant Board) under MGNREGA as a demand driven programme.
Under Para 4 (1) of the Schedule 1 of the Act, the scheme for plantation works is categorized related to natural resource management and afforestation. Here Category A covers common forest lands, road margins, canal bunds, tank foreshores and coastal belts. Category B notes these as individual assets only for households to improve the livelihoods through horticulture and farm forestry.
Priority is also given to land on homesteads belonging to nomadic and de-notified tribals, families under below the poverty line (BPL), women leading households and physically handicapped, among others.
Plant species are selected according to the agro climatic zones.
Promoting medicinal plants under MGNREGA will help farmers, local population and tribals for possible addition to their income. It will enable forward linkage for sale of raw materials to the Ayush industry, said Vaidya Rajesh Kotech, secretary, Ministry of Ayush.
Assistance for topping up the material expenditure will be provided. Training and orientation will be arranged by Krishi Sakhi and Van Sakhi. There will be state and district level coordination committees, said Nagendra Nath, secretary ministry of rural development.
In an interaction with Pharmabiz, Dr Baba Brindavan, consultant, Natural Resource Management, Biodiversity-Medicinal Plants, pointed out that so long NMPB was working on this and now such an inter-ministerial coordination is much needed. This particular approach has created a formal structure and will go a long way in ensuring its sustainability. We view it as a good measure towards conservation of medicinal plants as judicious efforts are made to select a comprehensive range of species.
Viewing the guidelines on medicinal plants plantation activities under MGNRGA as step in the right direction, Dr DBA Narayana chief scientific officer Ayurvidhe Trust said, the bottom up approach under these guidelines makes Gram Panchayat area, vacant land, gomalas, land by the side of railway tracks and roads and such other unutilized areas which are being worked upon under MNRGE to become focused to include relevant medicinal plants.
Guidelines describe in great detail under categories A and B which not only help bring awareness but also practically promote medicinal plants to be planted and looked after by the Gram Panchayat. Experts from agricultural universities, horticultural departments, forest departments, krishi vijnana kendras and Ayush departments, especially NMPB, have been listed to provide consultation for selection and other aspects of such plantations. It is heartening to see the guidelines provide a list of medicinal trees and species short listed as suitable for different agro climatic conditions like alpine, temperate, subtropical, tropical and arid regions, he added.
Implementation of these guidelines would bring not only livelihood but also earnings to those engaged in MNRGE. Enhancement of supply chain of quality medicinal plants for home remedies as well as growing industrial demand is expected. This is a first step in ‘Jadibooti revolution’ and needs leadership edge implementation universally across India, said Dr Narayana.
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