Cultivation of medicinal plants is well timed: Chief Minister
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that cultivation of medicinal plants is beneficial for the farmers. The importance and demand of herbs has increased as a result of changing global conditions and health needs. The Devaranya scheme being run to encourage the cultivation of medicinal plants is well timed. To ensure its effective implementation in the state, farmers should be identified through suitable and competent voluntary organizations.
Arrangements should be made to establish proper market linkages for farmers for necessary training, capacity development and sale of products. The cultivation of medicinal plants in the state should be encouraged as per the demand of the companies dealing in Ayurvedic products. Farmers should also be linked in processing work.
Chief Minister Chouhan was addressing the review meeting of Devaranya Yojana at the residence office.
Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains, Additional Chief Secretary Horticulture and Food Processing J.N. Kansotia, Principal Secretary Forest Ashok Varnwal, Principal Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development Umakant Umrao, Principal Secretary AYUSH Prateek Hajela and other officers were present. Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture Ajit Kesari attended the meeting virtually. Devaranya Yojana is being implemented by the Department of Agriculture, Horticulture, AYUSH and Panchayat and Rural Development along with the Forest Department.
It was informed that initially the scheme is being implemented in Anuppur, Narmadapuram, Satna, Jhabua, Dindori, Betul and Sehore. Projects related to lemongrass and pomarosa at Anuppur, asparagus, stevia, moringa, tukumari and lemongrass at Narmadapuram are planned for implementation.
The crop of medicinal plants is being grown by 132 self-help groups of 21 development blocks of the state by Madhya Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission. Cultivation of Amla, Surjana, Ashwagandha, Safed Muesli, Isabgol and Stevia is being encouraged in Dhar, Jhabua, Mandla, Anuppur, Umaria, Sehore, Alirajpur and Sheopur.
Companies like Dabur, Maharishi Ayurveda, Omni Active, Botanic Health, Natural Remedies, Cipla and Emami have been approached for market linkages of medicinal plants. Arrangements have been made to make training available from Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Universities, Research Centers, to farmers for preparation of high quality plants, seeds and product testing from Facilitation Centers and cultivation of plants, extraction of medicinal drugs, processing, storage, packaging and marketing.
