**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer given in Lok Sabha to Unstarred Question No. 1461, regarding schemes to encourage farmers to cultivate medicinal plants. The question was raised on December 9th, 2025. The answer details schemes implemented by the Government of India to encourage the cultivation, conservation, and sustainable management of medicinal plants.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Schemes and Assistance:**
* **Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH):** A Centrally Sponsored Scheme is implemented for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector, covering fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic and medicinal plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa, and bamboo. It covers all States and UTs, including Tamil Nadu.
* Under MIDH, assistance is provided at 40% of the maximum cost of Rs. 1.5 Lakh/ha for area expansion of short-duration medicinal plants (non-perennial & non-tree species).
* For NE & Himalayan States, Scheduled areas including TSP areas, vibrant villages, Andaman & Nicobar, and Lakshadweep Islands, assistance is provided at 50% of the maximum cost for an area up to 2 ha per beneficiary.
* **National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB):** The Ministry of Ayush formulated a draft scheme called "Pradhan Mantri Vriksh Ayush Yojana" to boost cultivation, production, and to establish post-harvest management infrastructure and marketing of medicinal plants.
* NMPB is also implementing a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) on "Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants" throughout the country, including Tamil Nadu, providing project-based support.
* **Activities Supported Under CSS:**
* Infrastructure for Quality Planting Material.
* Information Education Communication (IEC) activities.
* Infrastructure for Post-Harvest Management and Marketing.
* Quality Testing and Certification of raw material.
* **Training and Support:**
* NMPB through its Regional Cum Facilitation Centres (RCFCs) provides training to farmers/collectors for Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Field Collection Practices (GFCPs).
* Provides Quality Planting Material (QPM) for the cultivation of medicinal/herbal plants.
* **Project Implementation:**
* Implementation of various projects by NMPB ensures involvement of community-based organizations (CBOs) in conservation, sustainable harvesting and improvement of the socio-economic status of grass root level people.
* **Number of Projects Approved (Last Five Years):**
* Conservation, Resource Augmentation, support to JFMCs etc.: 18
* Research and Development: 60
* Integrated Component: 9
* Herbal Garden: 172
* Marketing: 2
* Information Education Communication: 157
* Total: 418
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers/Collectors**
* **Impact:** Enhanced opportunities to cultivate and market medicinal plants. Improved access to training, resources, and infrastructure.
* **Action Required:** Participate in training programs, utilize available assistance for area expansion and infrastructure development, adopt Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Field Collection Practices (GFCPs).
**Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)**
* **Impact:** Involvement in conservation and sustainable harvesting efforts, contributing to the improvement of the socio-economic status of local communities.
* **Action Required:** Engage in conservation and sustainable harvesting activities, utilize project-based support for different activities.
**States and Union Territories (Including Tamil Nadu)**
* **Impact:** Enhanced horticultural sector growth through MIDH, improved conservation, development, and sustainable management of medicinal plants through NMPB schemes.
* **Action Required:** Implement MIDH schemes, support NMPB's CSS for medicinal plant conservation, facilitate farmer access to training and resources.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The primary ministry responsible for policies and schemes related to agriculture and farmers' welfare, including the cultivation of medicinal plants.
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH): A centrally sponsored scheme for holistic growth of the horticulture sector, including fruits, vegetables, aromatic and medicinal plants.
National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB): The board formulates schemes and implements Central Sector Schemes for conservation, development and sustainable management of medicinal plants.
Central Sector Scheme (CSS) on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants": A scheme implemented by the NMPB aimed at providing project-based support for various activities related to medicinal plants.
Ministry of Ayush: The Ministry formulates schemes related to the cultivation and production of medicinal plants through the NMPB.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1461
TO BE ANSWERED ON 09TH DECEMBER, 2025
SCHEMES TO ENCOURAGE FARMERS TO CULTIVATE MEDICINAL PLANTS
1461. SHRI RAJA A.:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण म(cid:287)ं ी
be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the schemes being implemented by the Government to encourage
farmers to cultivate medicinal/herbal plants;
(b) the details of the activities carried out under these schemes in the country during the
last five years including Tamil Nadu; and
(c) the details of projects supported under Central Sector Scheme for conservation,
development and sustainable management of medicinal plants to different organizations
throughout the country during the last five years and their impact thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण रा(cid:207)य मं(cid:287)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) & (b): Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally
Sponsored Scheme is being implemented for holistic growth of the horticulture sector in the
country covering fruits, vegetables, root and tuber crops, mushrooms, spices, flowers,
aromatic and medicinal plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo. All States and UTs
including Tamil Nadu are covered under MIDH.
Under MIDH scheme, assistance is being provided @ 40% maximum cost of Rs. 1.5
Lakh/ha for area expansion of short duration medicinal plants i.e. non-perennial in nature
and non-tree species and in the case of NE & Himalayan States, Scheduled areas including
TSP (Tribal Sub Plan) areas, vibrant villages, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep
Islands, assistance is provided @ 50% of maximum cost for an area upto 2 ha. per
beneficiary.
Apart from the above, National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB), Ministry of Ayush,
had formulated a draft scheme namely “Pradhan Mantri Vriksh Ayush Yojana” to boost the
cultivation, production and to establish post-harvest management infrastructure and
marketing of medicinal plants in the country. Beside this, NMPB is implementing Central
Sector Scheme (CSS) on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of
Medicinal Plants” throughout the country including Tamil Nadu. The scheme is aimed at
providing project-based support for the different activities. The Forward and backwardlinkage in supply chain of medicinal plants (Integrated Component) is one of the
components of CSS scheme wherein following activities are supported:
Infrastructure for Quality Planting Material to raise the planting material of medicinal
plants for cultivation.
Information Education Communication (IEC) activities to aware the farmers.
Infrastructure for Post-Harvest Management and Marketing to increase the
marketability of the medicinal plants, adding value to the produce, increasing
profitability and reducing losses.
Quality Testing and Certification of raw material.
Further the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) Ministry of Ayush through its
Regional Cum Facilitation Centres (RCFCs) established in different regions of the country is
providing training to farmers/ collectors for Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), Good Field
Collection Practices (GFCPs) and also provides Quality Planting Material (QPM) for the
cultivation of medicinal/herbal plants in various states / UTs of the country.
(c): Implementation of various projects by NMPB, ensures Involvement of community-
based organizations (CBOs) in conservation, sustainable harvesting and improvement of
the socio-economic status of grass root level people. Details of the projects
supported/approved under various categories of Central Sector Scheme for Conservation,
Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants to different organizations
throughout the country during the last five years is as under:
S. No. Name of the Category No. of Projects approved
1 Conservation, Resource Augmentation, support to 18
JFMCs etc.
2 Research and Development 60
3 Integrated Component 9
4 Herbal Garden 172
5 Marketing 2
6 Information Education Communication 157
Total 418
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