The failure of the central government to approve permanent posts in National Medicinal Plants Board has invited widespread protests from the farming community across the country. The absence of adequate staff has compelled NMPB to limit its sanctions only to individual/societies submitting projects worth above Rs 30 lakhs, thereby disappointing hundreds of small-scale landholders.

NMPB is also not in a position to satisfy the large-scale planting sector due to the inevitable delay in processing the project application, again due to shortage of staff. NMPB is the apex body of 29 State Medicinal Plant Boards and is the final authority in clearing all medicinal plantation projects forwarded by the state boards.

NMPB, set up by the central government for integrated development of medicinal plant sector is currently functioning with just 15 staff and the CEO. None among them, other than the CEO are employees of the Board. The officers are all on deputation from various departments and research organizations that come under the Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH). The responsibilities of NMPB are so wide ranging that even this workforce is grossly inadequate, it is learnt.

The NMPB is supposed to be a semi-autonomous body with powers to co ordinate all matters relating to medicinal plants including drawing up policies and strategies for conservation, proper harvesting, cost effective cultivation, research and development, processing, marketing of raw material in order to protect, sustain and develop this sector.

Officials informed that they would not be able to handle more number of projects under the current set up. Realizing its constraints, the NMPB has decided to encourage only major projects worth minimum Rs 30 lakhs. This has prevented hundreds of small-scale landholders in various parts of the country from availing the subsidies granted by the Board for cultivating medicinal plants.

According to sources, the NMPB had earlier requested the ministry for sanctioning 55 new posts in addition to the CEO for effective functioning of the Board. The list had to be trimmed later, and a renewed proposal for 35 persons was forwarded later. Two years down the line, the government is yet to approve even a single post for the Board.

Meanwhile, the ministry has informed the Parliament that the internal work study unit of Health Ministry had assessed the requirements of the Board and has recommended 17 posts in addition to that of the CEO to cope up with the work load of the Board. NMPB authorities were not willing to comment on the actual requirement of the Board. They felt that it is up to the Ministry to decide on what should be the staff strength.

It should be noted that the international market of medicinal plant products is about Rs 2,79,000 crore per year, of which Indian share is just Rs.616.52 crores (0.2 per cent). The setting up of NMPB was seen as one of the first steps in ensuring an adequate Indian presence in this highly lucrative segment. The Board is supposed to coordinate with the ministries, departments, organizations, state/UT governments to assessment of demand/supply position relating to medicinal plants both within the country and abroad, advise on policy matters relating to schemes and programmes for development of medicinal plants, advise on matters relating to import/export of raw material, as well as value added products either as medicine, food supplements or as herbal cosmetics including adoption of better techniques for marketing of product to increase their reputation for quality and reliability in the country and abroad.

Among its other major functions are to provide guidance in the formulation of proposals, schemes and programmes etc. to be taken-up by agencies having access to land for cultivation and infrastructure for collection, storage and transportation of medicinal plants, identification, inventorisation and quantification of medicinal plants, promotion of ex-situ/in-situ cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants, promotion of co-operative efforts among collectors and growers and assisting them to store, transport and market their produce effectively, setting up of data-base system for inventorisation, dissemination of information and facilitating the prevention of Patents being obtained for medicinal use of plants which is in the public domain, undertaking and awarding Scientific, Technological research and cost-effectiveness studies, development of protocols for cultivation and quality control and encouraging the Protection of patent Rights and IPR.

Given the quantum of responsibilities shouldered by the Board, the ministry assessment has come as a surprise to many.