The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush, is implementing a Central Sector Scheme for 'Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants' throughout India. The scheme supports six key activities: Information Education & Communication (IEC) including training, workshops, seminars, and conferences; forward and backward linkage in medicinal plants supply chain; in-situ and ex-situ conservation; livelihood linkages with Joint Forest Management Committees, Panchayats, Van Panchayats, Biodiversity Management Committees, and Self Help Groups; Research & Development; and promotion, marketing, and trade of medicinal plants produce.
NMPB provides Quality Planting Material (QPM) to farmers through its Regional-cum-Facilitation Centres (RCFCs) located across different regions and organizes training on Good Agriculture Practices (GAPs) and Good Field Collection Practices (GFCPs). During FY2021-22 to 2025-26, NMPB approved 152 projects for organizing training programs, seminars, and workshops with total financial assistance of ₹1186.91 lakh, with state-wise details provided in Annexure I.
Additionally, the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, provides financial assistance for cultivation of short-duration medicinal plants (non-perennial, non-tree species). The assistance pattern is 40% of ₹1.50 lakh per hectare in general areas (up to 2 hectares) and 50% in North Eastern & Himalayan States, scheduled areas including Tribal Sub Plan areas, vibrant villages, Andaman & Nicobar, and Lakshadweep Islands, delivered in two instalments of 60:40. The scheme covers 18 specified plants including Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Tulsi, Shatavari, and Guggulu.
Under its conservation initiatives, NMPB has supported 15 new projects through State Forest Departments for conservation and resource augmentation in forest areas during the last five years, with grant-in-aid amounting to ₹3363.24 lakh. The board also supports research through 57 projects with government and private universities, research institutions, and other organizations. Under the Forward and Backward Linkage in Supply Chain component, NMPB supported 12 projects during FY2023-24 to 2025-26 across various states including Andhra Pradesh (₹84 lakh released), Jammu & Kashmir (₹57.75 lakh), Mizoram (₹84 lakh), Uttarakhand (₹84 lakh), Karnataka (₹84 lakh), Tamil Nadu (₹67 lakh), Kerala (₹84 lakh), Madhya Pradesh (₹84 lakh), and Rajasthan (₹168 lakh across two projects), and Uttar Pradesh (₹154 lakh across two projects), with detailed funding breakdown provided in Annexure III.