The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush, and the University of Delhi, through Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences (BCAS), signed a Memorandum of Understanding on July 15, 2026, at Kartavya Bhawan, New Delhi. The signing ceremony was attended by Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare.
The collaboration establishes a long-term partnership focused on scientific research, product development, innovation, value addition, post-harvest technologies, sustainable packaging, technology transfer, and capacity building in the medicinal plants sector. The initiative aims to promote sustainable utilization and conservation of India's medicinal plant resources while integrating traditional knowledge with modern science.
Shri Prataprao Jadhav emphasized that this initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of building a healthier, self-reliant India by 2047. He described India as possessing one of the world's richest repositories of medicinal plants and highlighted that evidence-based research, innovation, and value addition are essential to enhance global credibility, competitiveness, and market potential of the sector.
Shri Mahesh Dadhich, Chief Executive Officer of NMPB, emphasized the importance of research-driven innovation in enhancing farmers' income through medicinal plant cultivation. He highlighted the potential of developing eco-friendly and health-safe packaging materials derived from medicinal plant resources as sustainable alternatives to conventional aluminium-based packaging. The collaboration will also focus on cultivating medicinal plants in suitable ecological zones, including riverine areas, to promote biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration, and sustainable livelihood generation.
The partnership will leverage BCAS's expertise in food technology, nutraceuticals, post-harvest processing, and sustainable packaging, including the institution's recent innovations and patented technologies for value addition of biological resources. The MoU is expected to strengthen industry-academia collaboration, accelerate technology transfer, and enhance public awareness regarding the health, economic, and environmental significance of medicinal plants.