Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), Gujarat, will organize a one-day workshop on Dashmool project. The project is scheduled for October, 6 2008 at Gandhinagar.

The workshop will strengthen the efforts Took by the Gujarat government in the area of medicinal plants, informed JSD Pani, president, Karnataka Indian Medicine Manufacturers Association (KIMMA).

The initiative is taken by M L Sharma, who is the PCCF in Gujarat. The workshop will be inaugurated by Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. Anita Das, secretary, Department of Ayush along with B S Sajwan, CEO, NMPB, would be present at the function. Gujarat State Ministers for Forest and Health will also participate.

Gujarat has initiated several efforts to promote medicinal plants. It has invested Rs 8 crore to undertake mass scale cultivation of Guggul on 2500 Ha in the Kutch region. The state has also invested Rs 6 crore for cultivation of Dashmool species and conducting research.

Further, the State has identified a group of primary species and secondary species endemic to the region. The Forest Working Plan includes activities right use of medicinal plants. Efforts are also on to ensure that the industry can be an active collaborating partner to take the initiatives forward.

This workshop would focus on four aspects. These include providing importance to Dashmool in the Ayurveda. It will also focus on the required R&D to support Quality Planting Material and Organic Propagation and related certification. Showcasing of successful profitable cultivation initiatives taken by industry would also addressed. There will be discussions about the collaboration with the Forest Department and Social Forestry wings with the Ayurveda industry. Protection of the threatened and endangered medicinal plants and the need to initiate projects on plant resource security will also be highlighted.

KIMMA is working on the similar lines with the Karnataka State Forest department for the growth of medicinal plants in the state.