Governor launched National Campaign on medicinal plants

Imphal, 25th October, 2016

Governor launched National Campaign on medicinal plants :: Pix - DIPR

The Governor of Manipur Dr. Najma Heptulla today launched National Campaign on Medicinal Plants and Inaugurate One-Day State Level Buyers-Sellers Meet on Medicinal Plants at Indian Medical Association (IMA) House, Lamphel. The function was organised by Manipur State Medicinal Plants Board (MSMPB), Directorate of AYUSH and sponsored by National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.

Speaking on the occasion as Chief Guest, Dr. Najma Heptulla said the Manipur State Medicinal Plants Board has been functioning an an Autonomous Body since September, 2005.

The Mission of the Board is to promote and propagate medicinal plants in Manipur and to attain leadership for the State in this sector and I am confident that it will certainly fulfil the aspiration of the people and give benefits to all the people of the State. Medicinal Plants have been identified and used throughout human history.

The use of plants as medicines pre-dates written human history. Ethnobotany, the study of traditional human uses of plants, is recognised as an effective way to discover future medicines. In 2001, researchers identified 122 compounds used in modern medicine which were derived from traditional plants sources; 80% of these have had a traditional use identical or related to the current use of the active elements of the plant. Some of the pharmaceuticals currently available to physicians are derived from plants that have a long history of use as herbal remedies, including aspirin, digoxin, quinine and opium.

The Governor further said she was happy to knew that within a short period of its existence, Manipur State Medicinal Plants Board has organised several Workshops and Health Fairs for promotion of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants and Healing system. To name a few, the Board has organised National Workshop on Conservation & Commercialization of Medicinal Aromatic Plants in 2007, Comprehensive Health Fair in 2009, Stakeholder Meet on Traditional Healing System of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants in 2010, three-day National Workshop on Sustainable Management and Commercialization of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in 2013.

The objectives of this campaign such as market authorization of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and its products, good cultivation and collection practices, institutional linkages for promoting production and marketing of medicinal & Aromatic plants, to bridge the gap between buyers and sellers, agro-technology of selected potential Medicinal & Aromatic Plants and scope of post-harvest management of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants will surely achieve the target and translate into large scale benefit to the people of the State.

The function was graced by Minister (Social Welfare & Co-operation) Km. AK. Mirabai Devi as President, Commissioner (Horticulture & Soil Conservation, TA & Hills) Shri Thaithuilung Pamei and Chief Conservator of Forest Shri Th. Mohendra Pratap Singh as Guest of honour respectively.