New Delhi, June 7 (PTI) Around fifty Indian Forest Service officers visited the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) here on Wednesday, and discussed the conservation of medicinal plants and the role of Ayurveda in forest conservation, officials said.
The visit was conducted as part of career training programme for forest officials organised under the aegis of the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, a statement by the AIIA said.
The visit provided an opportunity to the officers to gain insights into the field of Ayurveda and its significance in forest conservation and health care, the statement said.
“The visit of Indian Forest Service officers to the AIIA served as a valuable learning experience, promoting the understanding of Ayurveda’s role in forest conservation and health care,” it said.
“It provided a platform for collaboration and exchange of knowledge between the forest officials and the institute, contributing to the collective efforts in preserving medicinal plants and promoting the holistic well-being of people,” it added.
Addressing the gathering of officials, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ayush Pramod Kumar Pathak highlighted the immense therapeutic value of Ayurveda.
Pathak said there was a significant growth of Ayurvedic medicines in the global market, which has increased from USD 3 billion in 2014-15 to USD 18 billion in 2021. The Ayurveda market will soon reach the target of USD 25 billion dollars, he said.
Dr Tanuja Nesari, Director of AIIA and the CEO of the National Medicinal Plant Board, expressed her gratitude to the forest officials for their vital role in the conservation of medicinal trees and plants.
Dr Nesari said 80 per cent of the high-quality raw materials used in medicines are sourced from forests, underscoring the officers’ contribution to it, the AIIA statement said.
Chandrashekhar Sanwal, Deputy Chief Executive of the National Medicinal Plant Board, lauded the board’s contribution to the manufacturing of quality medicines and highlighted the collaborative efforts on it between the board and the forest department. PTI PLB SKY
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