**Executive Summary**
The 2nd meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of AYUSH was held on December 15, 2025, under the chairmanship of Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav. The meeting focused on the role of medicinal plant cultivation in farmer empowerment, strengthening the AYUSH sector, and conserving biodiversity. The committee discussed various initiatives and schemes aimed at promoting sustainable medicinal plant cultivation and enhancing farmer income.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Meeting Overview:**
* The 2nd meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of AYUSH was held on 15.12.2025 in New Delhi.
* Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH, chaired the meeting.
* Members of Parliament from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha attended the meeting.
* **Focus on Medicinal Plant Cultivation:**
* The meeting emphasized the critical role of medicinal plant cultivation in empowering farmers, strengthening the AYUSH sector, and conserving biodiversity.
* Sustainable medicinal plant cultivation is key to quality medicines.
* Efforts are underway to integrate AYUSH systems into the national healthcare framework, focusing on healthy lifestyles and sustainable health.
* **Initiatives and Schemes:**
* The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) has been implementing the Central Sector Scheme on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” for the last 25 years.
* Emphasis has been placed on Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities to create awareness and build capacity among farmers.
* From 2020-21 to 2024-25, approximately ₹1161.96 lakh was approved through 139 projects for farmers' training and awareness.
* **Farmer Empowerment and Market Linkages:**
* The "e-Charak" digital platform has strengthened market linkages by directly connecting farmers with buyers.
* Krishi Vidyapeeths and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) can be engaged to raise awareness and promote medicinal plant cultivation.
* Medicinal plant cultivation is a key driver of farmer empowerment, strengthening the AYUSH value chain, and biodiversity conservation.
* **Millets Promotion:**
* The global rise of millets (Shri Anna) has been boosted by the UN declaration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets, enhancing cultivation and farmers' income.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers**
* **Impact:** Farmers are empowered through medicinal plant cultivation, leading to increased income and improved livelihoods. Enhanced access to training, awareness programs, and market linkages support sustainable farming practices.
* **Action Required:** Farmers need to actively participate in training programs, leverage the "e-Charak" platform to connect with buyers, and adopt sustainable cultivation practices for medicinal plants.
**AYUSH Sector**
* **Impact:** The AYUSH sector is strengthened through the promotion of sustainable medicinal plant cultivation, ensuring the availability of quality raw materials for traditional medicine systems. Integration into the national healthcare framework enhances the sector's reach and impact.
* **Action Required:** The AYUSH sector should continue to support and promote initiatives that encourage sustainable medicinal plant cultivation, focusing on quality control and market access.
**National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB)**
* **Impact:** NMPB's role is reinforced in implementing the Central Sector Scheme and promoting conservation, development, and sustainable management of medicinal plants.
* **Action Required:** NMPB should continue its efforts in implementing the Central Sector Scheme, focusing on capacity building, awareness programs, and sustainable practices across the country.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of AYUSH: The primary government body focused on traditional medicine systems in India.
Parliamentary Consultative Committee: A committee associated with the Ministry of AYUSH to discuss relevant policies and programs.
New Delhi: Location of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting.
National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB): An organization that promotes the cultivation of medicinal plants.
Central Sector Scheme on “Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants”: A scheme implemented by NMPB to conserve and develop medicinal plants.
AYUSH
Union Minister Shri Prataprao Jadhav Chairs 2nd
Meeting of Parliamentary Consultative
Committee on AYUSH
“Medicinal plant cultivation a powerful tool for farmer
empowerment and biodiversity conservation,” says Shri
Prataprao Jadhav
Sustainable medicinal plant cultivation key to quality
medicines: Shri Jadhav
Ministry’s Parliamentary Consultative Committee focuses on
medicinal plant cultivation to empower farmers
प्रव तथ: 16 DEC 2025 9:35AM by PIB Delhi
The 2nd meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Ayush held on
15.12.2025 in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Shri Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State
(Independent Charge), Ministry of Ayush. Members of Parliament from various political parties of the Lok
Sabha and Rajya Sabha attended the meeting, including Shri Sadanand Mhalu Shet Tanavade, Shri
Ashtikar Patil Nagesh Bapurao and Shri Nilesh D. Lanke.Union Minister of State Shri Prataprao Jadhav emphasized the critical role of medicinal plant cultivation
in empowering farmers, strengthening the AYUSH sector, and conserving biodiversity. He stated that
under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government of India is making sustained
efforts to integrate AYUSH systems into the national healthcare framework, with a focus on promoting
healthy lifestyles and building a sustainable health system.
The Minister underlined that the foundation of strong traditional medicine systems lies in the availability
of high-quality medicines, which in turn depends on the sustainable supply of quality raw material from
medicinal plants. He noted that ensuring quality at the source leads to better and faster health outcomes.
He highlighted the initiatives of the National Medicinal Plants Board and informed that for the last 25
years, NMPB has been implementing the Central Sector Scheme on “Conservation, Development and
Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants” across the country. Special emphasis has been placed on
Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities to create awareness and build capacity among
farmers.He stated that during 2020–21 to 2024–25, about ₹1161.96 lakh was approved through 139 projects for
farmers’ training and awareness, with 7 Regional-cum-Facilitation Centres providing technical support
across the country. He noted that the “e-Charak” digital platform has strengthened market linkages by
directly connecting farmers with buyers. The Minister emphasized that medicinal plant cultivation is a key
driver of farmer empowerment, strengthening the AYUSH value chain, and biodiversity conservation, and
also highlighted the global rise of millets (Shri Anna), boosted by the UN declaration of 2023 as the
International Year of Millets, which enhanced cultivation and farmers’ income.
The Minister highlighted the pivotal role of Krishi Vidyapeeths and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in
empowering farmers. He further suggested that these institutions could be engaged to raise awareness and
promote the cultivation and use of medicinal plants among farmers, thereby enhancing livelihood
opportunities and augmenting rural incomes.The Minister expressed gratitude to the members for their active participation and meaningful
contributions. He emphasized that their inputs will be instrumental in strengthening the Ayush systems
across the country and in advancing India’s leadership in traditional medicine on the global stage.
***
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