HIGH ALTITUDE MEDICINAL PLANTS IN LADAKH

The Ministry of AYUSH, through the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), is implementing the Central Sector Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants across India, with a focus on Ladakh’s high‑altitude species such as seabuckthorn, rhodiola, artemisia and aconitum. The scheme supports infrastructure for quality planting material, IEC activities, post‑harvest management, marketing, and quality testing. NMPB has launched the “e‑CHARAK” mobile app and web portal to promote and market medicinal plants, providing fortnightly prices from 25 herbal markets, including Ladakh. The State Medicinal Plant Board, UT Ladakh, conducts training, seminars and buyer‑seller meets, while a Centre of Excellence for seabuckthorn has been established at Nimoo, Leh with Rs 789.33 lakh funding, technical support from DRDO‑DIHAR, and facilities for research, demonstration, and capacity‑building. Over the last five years, the Ministry has released Rs 705.11 lakh for Ladakh projects, of which Rs 534.24 lakh has been utilized.