Imphal, October 26 2008: Notwithstanding the recognition from several quarters about the richness of Manipur in biodiversity and medicinal plants, the State Medicinal Plant Board has been unable to tap the potential.

Affiliated to the Health Department, the State Medicinal Plant Board was set up under the National Medicinal Plant Board.

Though the Board has its office in the Health Department, its member secretary/nodal officer is posted at the District Hospital Bishnupur and is given normal duty.

As the Medicinal Plant Board remains dismally ineffective, the State is unable to reap any benefits from the rich biodiversity and numerous medicinal plants.

A highly reliable source informed The Sangai Express that even as the National Medicinal Plant Board has entrusted the State Medicinal Plant to disseminate necessary and useful information to medicinal plant growers from time to time, the State Medicinal Plant Board's performance in this regard is not satisfactory.

Whether in terms of providing loans to societies/individuals growing medicinal plants or organising awareness programmes, the Board has been ineffective.

Moreover, the Board has not been sending any project for cultivation and preservation of medicinal plants to the National Medicinal Plant Board.

Last year, two projects prepared by the State Government and another one prepared by an NGO were submitted to the National Medicinal Plant Board through the State Medicinal Plant Board.

But all the three projects were deferred by the National Board and as such no monetary grant was forthcoming.

However, for the neighbouring State of Nagaland, the National Board has approved the single project submitted to it and necessary funds were granted.

Observing that the Government need to take up some measures to activate the State Medicinal Plant Board and streamline its functioning, the source disclosed that the Board's member secretary/nodal officer is being posted at District Hospital, Bishnupur with normal duty.

On the other hand the presence of the secretary at the Plant Board is vital.

Talking to this reporter about the matter some days back, Health Minister Ph Parijat said that the Department has been directed to select medicinal plants which would find ready markets and be more profitable.

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