Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 20: Union Ministry of AYUSH has approved Rs 100 crore for the Institute of High Altitude Medicinal Plants at Bhaderwah.
The Post Harvest Management (PHM) Unit of the Institute was recently inaugurated by Shripad Naik, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) AYUSH and Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space.
The PHM Unit consists of District Collection Centre (District Marketing Mandi) providing all the facilities of collection, storage, grading, certification, marketing, loading and transporting of medicinal plants. The Storage Go-Downs and Drying Sheds shall act as the scientific storage and drying facilities for the medicinal plants.
Besides, a Model Nursery of high altitude medicinal plants which shall form a reservoir for quality planting material of some high demand medicinal plants, seed germplasm centre which shall be the gene bank of quality germplasm of some high demand, rare, endangered species of medicinal plants and a demonstration plot is being established in convergence with SKUAST-Jammu.
Director Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM), Dr Mohan Singh who is the Nodal Officer of Institute of High Altitude Medicinal Plants said that Rs 100 crore approved for the Institute is apart from Rs 4.70 crore already released for establishment of Post Harvest Management units, Model Nursery Seed Germplasm Centre, Demonstration Plot and Boundary wall in the premises of the Institute at Bhaderwah.
He informed that this type of Institute which is meant exclusively for high altitude medicinal plants will be the first of its type in the Country. He said that due to the personal efforts of Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, this dream project has found its way in J&K.
The Financial Commissioner Health and Medical Education Atal Dulloo is also not leaving any stone unturned for taking the project to the logical end, Dr Singh said, adding, the Institute will be a complete package for all the stakeholders associated with high altitude medicinal plants may it be farmers, traders, entrepreneurs, industrialists or research scholars and scientists. He further said that a reputed consulting agency will be hired for formulation of the DPR of the Institute.
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