Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar chaired the Governing Body meeting of the J&K Medicinal Plant Board (JKMPB) at Civil Secretariat here today.
During the meeting, the Advisor held detailed deliberations with the Governing Body regarding strengthening of medicinal plants sector in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting also focused on advancing the medicinal plants sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the officers in the meeting, the Advisor called upon the members and other stakeholders to develop an appropriate mechanism for coordination between concerned departments for implementation of support policies and programs for overall (conservation, cultivation, trade and export) growth of medicinal plants sector.
While reviewing the progress of various ongoing projects of the National Medicinal plants Board, the Advisor called upon the concerned executing agency to speed up the pace of works for timely completion of the project. He also instructed the concerned officers to ensure optimum utilization of the Post Harvest Management Unit at Bhaderwah.
Regarding registration of farmers, Advisor Bhatnagar stressed on simplifying the process of registration so that interested farmers do not face difficulty in registrations.
During the meeting, CEO JKMPB presented detailed account of various ongoing activities of the board. He highlighted that the Board remains committed to promoting conservation, cultivation, trade, and export of medicinal plants through strategic and coordinated efforts.
He apprised the board members about overview of Central Sector Scheme of Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants and its components like Conservation of Medicinal Plants, Establishing Herbal Gardens (Institutional, Community and School Herbal Gardens), IEC Programs, Seminars (State/National/International), Training /Capacity Building Programs for Farmers, Research and Development (Research in Medicinal Plants/Quality Assurance), Forward and backward linkage in supply chain management of medicinal plants (Integrated component), Establishment of nurseries for Supply of Quality Planting Material (Promoting Cultivation), Infrastructure for Post-Harvest Management and Marketing (Drying Sheds, Storage Godowns, Value addition infrastructure (Processing units) and Quality Testing), Buyer Seller Meets, Species Specific Campaign.
It was further informed that J&K Medicinal Plants Board and Directorate of Ayush, J&K are continuously organizing awareness camps regarding the utility of Medicinal Plants for commercial as well as medicinal purposes.
The meeting among others was attended by Secretary Health and Medical Education and Vice Chairman JKMPB, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah; senior officers from Forest, Agriculture, Horticulture, Floriculture departments, SKUAST, Ayush and other members of the board.