Centre to set up National Medical Plant Mission

Chennai, Oct 25 (UNI) Union Heath Minister Anbumani Ramadoss today said the Centre would set up a National Medicinal Plant Mission to preserve various herbs and plants having medicinal value.

Presiding over a function got up to unveil the statue of Siddha expert Ayothidoss Pandithar at the National Institute of Siddha at suburban Tambaram, Dr Ramadoss said Siddha medicine was one of the traditional medical systems in India and efforts were being made to popularise it.

Observing that Siddha medicine has been practised for the last 5,000 years, he said the government was committed to developing its scientific base.

Keeping this in mind the Centre would set up a National Medicinal Plant mission and expand the traditional indian forms of medicine to rural areas, he added.

Under the Mission, various studies would be undertaken to analyse the scientific value of the herbs and plants having medicianal value and preserve them.

He said plans were also afoot to set up a national digital plant library to preserve the details about plants which had medicinal value.

Speaking after unveiling the statue of Ayothidoss Pandithar, Union Minsiter for Chemicals and Fertilisers and Steel Ram Vilas Paswan said Pandit Ayothidoss was a also a social reformer and had maintained the legacy of siddha medicine left behind by his forefathers.

Ayothidoss was responsible popularising siddha medicine in the country.

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