As many as 31 ‘Sanjeevani Centers’ are operating in the State now for sale of a host of herbal products in Raipur and remote areas of Chhattisgarh, officials stated. Joint Forest Management Committees and Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Chhattisgarh are manufacturing various kinds of herbal products, they stated.
The State Government’s Small Forest Produce Cooperative Society has introduced these products in the market with attractive packaging and brand name of ‘Chhattisgarh Herbal’. The scheme has not only provided additional employment to thousands of forest dwellers but has also made available the quality herbal products at fair prices for people.
Officials of Chhattisgarh State Small Forest Produce Society informed that herbal medicines for curing various small diseases are available at reasonable prices in Sanjeevani Centres. They stated that Arjun Powder for heart diseases, Tulsi Powder for headache and flu, Neem Powder for skin problems, blood impurity and infections, Bel powder for curing heart diseases, liver diseases and diarrhea, Udramrit powder for congestion and indigestion relief, and many such herbal medicines to cure various diseases are available at Sanjeevani Centers, along with a local Ayurvedic doctor for medical counseling and advice.
Officials informed that in Raipur, Chhattisgarh Herbal Sanjeevani Centre is operating at GE Road opposite Forest Building. In Raipur forest circle, Sanjeevani centers have been opened in Balodabazar, Kasdol, Abhanpur, Bilaigarh and Barnavapara. In Durg forest circle, Sanjeevani centres are operating Durg city, Navagarh, Daundi, Rajnandgaon, lohara, Dongargarh, Kawardha. Similarly Sanjeevani centers have been established in Kanker, Bhanupratappur, Pakhanjur, Kondagaon under Kanker forest circle, Jagdalpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, Sukma under Jagdalpur forest circle, Bilaspur, Karona, Katghora, lormi, Masturi, Ratanpur, Kanan Pendari, Korba under Bilaspur forest circle, Ambikapur, Pratappur, Jashpur, Ramanujganj, Baikunthpur and Manendragarh under Ambikapur forest circle for sale of quality herbal products.
It may be mentioned that the Chhattisgarh government has already developed an elaborate retail network for medicines made out of forest produce. The government’s retail network for marketing of these products comprise ‘Non-wood Forest Produce Marts’ which have been opened at six locations in the State besides ‘Sanjeevani Centres’, officials informed.
During the past decade, forest medicines worth Rs2.17 crore have been sold. last year, the quantity of products sold increased by three times. The State government’s Ayush Department have given license to 102 forest medicines produced by Forest Medicine Processing Centres of the State under Cosmetics and Drugs Act.
Rich forest resources of Chhattisgarh are now being utilized for commercial manufacturing of valuable Ayurvedic herbal medicines. These forest produce medicines are proving immensely beneficial for cure of various diseases. Moreover, commercial scale manufacturing of forest medicines has also become a source of employment for large number forest dweller families.
The State Government has adopted the policy of utilizing forest resources for creating employment and generating source of income for forest dwellers. As per the policy, Village Forest Committees and Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) collect forest medicines and processing it as per market demand.
For this, ‘forest medicine processing units’ are being operated at 5 out of 27 districts of the State. The processed forest medicines have been introduced in the market with attractive packaging and brand name ‘Chhattisgarh Herbals’. Products with this brand name are receiving good response from Ayurvedic doctors, patients and customers, officials stated. Processed forest medicines worth nearly Rs34.77 lakh were sold in previous financial year 2013-14. In year 2005-06 when this retail outlet was started, stock worth Rs11.75 lakh were sold.
In the remote forest villages of the State, manufacturing of Ayurvedic medicines is underway in form of small and cottage industry. These ‘forest produce processing centres’ are being operated by Village Forest Committee in Donganala area of Korba district, by Ma Danteshwari Jyoti Women Self-help Group in village Kurandi (Machkot area) of Bastar (Jagdalpur) district, by the Bhuteshwarnath ‘Forest Medicine Processing Centre’ in village Keshodor of Gariaband district, by Danteshwari Self-help Group of village Panchakki of Jashpur district, by Ma Narmada Self Help Group in village Kenvachi of Bilaspur district, by Yogita Women Self-help Group in village Ataria of Bilaspur district, by Dhanvantri Self Help Group in Narayanpur Headquarters of Narayanpur district.