Ayush Ministry signs two MoUs in August 2025 to conserve rare medicinal plants using tissue culture and launch a national herbal garden at AIIMS Delhi. Learn its exam relevance here.
Ayush Ministry Signs Two Landmark MoUs to Boost Medicinal Plant Conservation
Conserving India’s Botanical Heritage
On August 4, 2025, the Ministry of Ayush formalized two pivotal Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at conserving India’s rare and endangered medicinal plants. The first MoU was signed between the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) and IshVed‑Bioplants Venture, Pune, with a focus on preserving germplasm of RET (rare, endangered, threatened) species using advanced tissue culture techniques
The second MoU was a tripartite understanding among NMPB, All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), and AIIMS, New Delhi, dedicated to establishing a national-level medicinal plant garden within AIIMS’s premises. AIIA will drive public awareness initiatives to educate patients and students visiting the hospital about the value of traditional Indian medicinal plants
Stakeholders and Ceremony Highlights
The agreements were signed at Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi, in the presence of Union Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav, along with key officials including Ministry Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, AIIMS Director M. Srinivas, and AIIA leadership These partnerships integrate traditional Ayurvedic knowledge with modern biotechnology to support India’s goal of becoming a healthier, self‑reliant nation by 2047, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision
Strategic and Technical Initiatives
Under the first MoU, germplasm conservation will leverage tissue-culture techniques to propagate and maintain RET species, ensuring consistent supply to the Ayush industry and safeguarding genetic diversity he second MoU’s botanical garden at AIIMS will function as an educational and awareness hub, enabling direct engagement with the public about medicinal plants’ therapeutic benefits
These collaborative efforts mark a significant step toward evidence-based conservation, research, and public engagement within India’s medicinal plants sector
Why This News Is Important
Relevance to Current Affairs Aspirants
This development aligns directly with themes relevant to government exams: public policy in health, biodiversity conservation, biotechnology in traditional medicine, and institutional coordination. Understanding these MoUs illustrates how the Ayush ministry operationalizes policy through partnerships.
Policy and Governance Significance
The MoUs reflect effective governance models where public institutions like NMPB, AIIMS, and AIIA work with the private sector for national goals. It showcases how the government translates the mission of self‑reliant India (Atmanirbhar Bharat 2047) into real-world initiatives.
Scientific and Socio‑economic Impact
The use of advanced tissue-culture for RET germplasm conservation highlights India’s push toward evidence-based traditional medicine. Establishing a medicinal plant garden fosters public awareness, supports local livelihoods in herbal plant cultivation, and helps integrate traditional health knowledge within modern settings.
Historical Context 📜
Evolution of Medicinal Plant Conservation in India
India has a long tradition of Ayurvedic knowledge that relies on medicinal plants. Recognizing this, the government established the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) in 2000 to promote research and conservation of medicinal plants, especially endangered varieties.
Previous Initiatives and Global Commitments
Earlier initiatives included setting up Regional Gene Banks and conservation nurseries. However, this is the first time a dedicated national medicinal plants garden is being created within AIIMS, combining public education, research, and clinical exposure under one roof.
Bridging Traditional Knowledge and Modern Science
The MoUs represent a strategic shift from merely recognizing traditional knowledge to actively embedding biotechnology in its conservation and scaling through public‑private partnerships—a model policy approach for future aspirants to understand.
Key Takeaways from This News
| S. No. | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| 1 | Two MoUs sealed on August 4, 2025, under Ayush Ministry to conserve RET medicinal plants and establish a plant garden |
| 2 | NMPB & IshVed‑Bioplants Venture MoU focuses on tissue-culture germplasm conservation of rare, endangered, and threatened species |
| 3 | Tripartite MoU between NMPB, AIIA & AIIMS to establish a national-level medicinal plants garden at AIIMS Delhi |
| 4 | Public awareness will be driven by AIIA, targeting patients and students visiting AIIMS to promote traditional medicine knowledge |
| 5 | The MoUs exemplify integration of traditional knowledge and modern science, supporting India’s 2047 vision of health self‑reliance |
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the purpose of the MoUs signed by the Ministry of Ayush in August 2025?
The MoUs aim to promote the conservation of rare, endangered, and threatened (RET) medicinal plants through tissue culture and to establish a national-level medicinal plant garden at AIIMS, New Delhi.
2. Which organizations were involved in the MoUs?
The two MoUs were signed between:
- NMPB and IshVed‑Bioplants Venture, Pune (for tissue culture and germplasm preservation),
- NMPB, AIIA, and AIIMS (for setting up a medicinal plants garden and public awareness).
3. What is the role of AIIA in the tripartite MoU?
AIIA will be responsible for conducting awareness programs and educating patients and students at AIIMS about the benefits of medicinal plants.
4. Why is the conservation of RET medicinal plants important?
RET medicinal plants are at risk of extinction. Their conservation is essential for sustaining Ayurvedic medical practices and ensuring a steady supply of herbs for the Ayush industry.
5. What is the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB)?
The NMPB is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Ayush. It was established in 2000 to coordinate matters relating to medicinal plants, including their conservation, cultivation, and sustainable utilization.
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