National Medicinal Plants Board and ICAR sign MoU

On July 6, 2020, the National Medicinal Plants Board operating under Ministry of AYUSH and ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research)-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

Highlights

According to the agreement, the institutions will conserve medicinal and aromatic plants and their genetic resources at spaces designated by ICAR. All the three institutes involved in the agreement are to serve the country by conserving the Germplasms of the plants.

Significance

Medicinal plants are regarded as rich sources of traditional medicines. The rich diversity of India in medicinal plants is gradually getting depleted.

Germplasm

Germplasm are living genetic resources. These can be seeds or tissues. They are maintained for the purpose of breeding, preservation and other research uses.

National Medicinal Plants Board

The board operates under Ministry of AYUSH. It was established in 2000. The board was set up to promote medicinal plants sector. The board coordinates with all ministries and departments to implement policies and programmes for the growth of medicinal plants.

India is rich in biodiversity. Out of 17,000 to 18,000 species of flowering plants, more than 7,000 have medicinal usage.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2020