Chhattisgarh's Medicinal Plant Board to recommend for revising national and state laws, guidelines
Updated: Nov 02, 2013 02:16:59pm
Chhattisgarh, Nov 2 (KNN) In order to promote the conservation, sustainable use and cultivation of medicinal plants, the State Medicinal Plant Board (SMPB) of Chhattisgarh wants to develop a specific inter-sectoral strategy, policy and recommendations to revise relevant national and state laws, and guidelines.
Chhattisgarh is a biodiversity rich state that was declared a “Herbal State” in the year 2001. The state also has the highest tribal population concentration in India, which has a tradition of using medicinal plants for varied uses and especially to meet primary health care requirements.
However, medicinal plants are under severe threat due to many reasons. One of the primary concerns is the over-exploitation and unsustainable harvest practices that have been adopted over the past decade.
Furthermore, the state does not have a comprehensive strategy and a clear legal and policy framework on medicinal plant conservation and cultivation.
In this context, Global Environment Facility (GEF)-United Nations Development Program (UNDP)- Government of India (GoI) together under its project “Mainstreaming Conservation and Sustainable Use of Medicinal Plants in Three Indian States” have invited bids from the agencies to address the gap in the legal and policy framework of the State on of medicinal plants conservation, sustainable use and cultivation.
The project will be jointly implemented by Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the State Medicinal Plant Board (SMPB) of Chhattisgarh.
Under the project, the agencies will be required to develop a state specific inter-sectoral strategy for conservation, sustainable use and cultivation of medicinal plants aligned to the draft National Level Strategy being prepared under the project.
Also, a State policy on medicinal plants conservation would also be developed, for sustainable use and cultivation, also laying emphasis on traditional knowledge, practices and innovations.
The agencies will also deliver a set of key recommendations to revise all relevant sectoral policies including JFM Guidelines; on national and state laws that need modification; and prepare legal literacy manuals in two (English, Hindi) languages for key stakeholders to empower them to use these strategies and laws in the most effective manner.
The main aim of the project is to come out with an implementable legal and policy framework with respect to medicinal plants keeping the unique features, needs and challenges of the people of Chhattisgarh at the centre.
Some of the main strategies being prepared under the project are identifying issues that the policy would address; identifying institutional capacity gaps; undertaking literature review and desk research; and assisting the State Medicinal Plants Board in preparing a Cabinet Note for the policy.
In addition, one of the strategies is to study the key judicial pronouncements in India and courts abroad which have implications on medicinal plants conservation including habitats and associated traditional knowledge.
As the UN system's development programme and a GEF Implementing Agency since 1991, UNDP supports countries in addressing development, climate, and ecosystem sustainability in an integrated manner. As a GEF Implementing Agency, UNDP-GEF offers countries highly specialized technical services for eligibly assessment, programme/project formulation, due diligence, mobilization of required co-financing, project implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management. (KNN/SD)
Chhattisgarh is a biodiversity rich state that was declared a “Herbal State” in the year 2001. The state also has the highest tribal population concentration in India, which has a tradition of using medicinal plants for varied uses and especially to meet primary health care requirements.
However, medicinal plants are under severe threat due to many reasons. One of the primary concerns is the over-exploitation and unsustainable harvest practices that have been adopted over the past decade.
Furthermore, the state does not have a comprehensive strategy and a clear legal and policy framework on medicinal plant conservation and cultivation.
In this context, Global Environment Facility (GEF)-United Nations Development Program (UNDP)- Government of India (GoI) together under its project “Mainstreaming Conservation and Sustainable Use of Medicinal Plants in Three Indian States” have invited bids from the agencies to address the gap in the legal and policy framework of the State on of medicinal plants conservation, sustainable use and cultivation.
The project will be jointly implemented by Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the State Medicinal Plant Board (SMPB) of Chhattisgarh.
Under the project, the agencies will be required to develop a state specific inter-sectoral strategy for conservation, sustainable use and cultivation of medicinal plants aligned to the draft National Level Strategy being prepared under the project.
Also, a State policy on medicinal plants conservation would also be developed, for sustainable use and cultivation, also laying emphasis on traditional knowledge, practices and innovations.
The agencies will also deliver a set of key recommendations to revise all relevant sectoral policies including JFM Guidelines; on national and state laws that need modification; and prepare legal literacy manuals in two (English, Hindi) languages for key stakeholders to empower them to use these strategies and laws in the most effective manner.
The main aim of the project is to come out with an implementable legal and policy framework with respect to medicinal plants keeping the unique features, needs and challenges of the people of Chhattisgarh at the centre.
Some of the main strategies being prepared under the project are identifying issues that the policy would address; identifying institutional capacity gaps; undertaking literature review and desk research; and assisting the State Medicinal Plants Board in preparing a Cabinet Note for the policy.
In addition, one of the strategies is to study the key judicial pronouncements in India and courts abroad which have implications on medicinal plants conservation including habitats and associated traditional knowledge.
As the UN system's development programme and a GEF Implementing Agency since 1991, UNDP supports countries in addressing development, climate, and ecosystem sustainability in an integrated manner. As a GEF Implementing Agency, UNDP-GEF offers countries highly specialized technical services for eligibly assessment, programme/project formulation, due diligence, mobilization of required co-financing, project implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management. (KNN/SD)
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