State Industry Minister Amar Agarwal has sought measures on part of the Central Government to enhance the competitiveness of the tribal states by promoting forest produce.
He was speaking at the second meeting of the Council for Trade Development and Promotion in New Delhi on Thursday, officials informed
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman appreciated the active role of the States in partnering with the Centre in the continued efforts to boost India’s exports.
The Union Minister exhorted the Members of the Council to jointly address impediments in trade and the infrastructure gaps which adversely affect India’s exports.
She said that in the 1st meeting of the Council, a constructive dialogue with the State Governments and UTs took place for creating an enabling environment to boost International trade. The Centre has made efforts to resolve the issues raised by the States during the 1st meeting.
To reduce the impact of global economic slowdown on Indian exports, the Commerce Minister exhorted the States to diversify India’s exports basket by enabling more sectors and breaching new markets.
Sitharaman asked the State Governments to enhance cooperation with Central agencies to create facilities for testing, certification, storage and packaging.
mentioned that as can be seen on the Indian trade portal, a 100-150 SPS notifications and a similar number of TBT notifications are being issued by WTO member countries each month. Around 50 per cent to 60 per cent of these measures have the potential to impact our trade.
Three sector specific needs can broadly be categorised into interventions required for agri and marine products, for forest produce and for industrial products.
The Minister drew the attention of the States to expedite the preparation of the export strategies in line with the Foreign Trade Policy and in the appointment of Export Commissioners for the state.
She requested that the Export Commissioner be made the single window focal point for the interaction with the exporters from the State.
The Minister drew the attention of States towards promoting Services Exports where we have a substantial Trade surplus.
She mentioned that we need to diversify our export basket on services, beyond IT and ITeS, to encompass yoga, health services, tourism, education in other services.
The Heads of the Apex trade bodies FIEO, FICCI, ASSOCHAM and CII gave their views and suggestions for improving exports amidst the challenging world economic scenario.
Notably, Chhattisgarh’s Forest Department will get prepared an appraisal report on required interventions by various private agencies to enhance the marketability of medicinal plants and products, officials informed.
Notably, a 'Herbal Garden' will be developed in Naya Raipur in order to create awareness regarding ancient herbal medicines among the masses.
The State Government will also constitute an award in the memory of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya in his birth centenary year for the students of Ayurvedic Medicine, officials informed.
The first prize will consist of Rs 20,000, second prize of Rs 15,000 and third prize of Rs 10,000 .
A host of Ayurvedic herbal medicines are now being processed and produced in forest areas of the State, officials stated. Processing and production of such medicines is underway in five processing centres, functioning as cottage industry in the State.
The herbal medicines such as triphla churn, chyavanprash, bhringraj oil, aloe vera and many other ayurvedic herbal medicines are being manufactured and processed in the forest areas.
In the same sequence, village forest committees, small forest produce committees, and self-help groups have been entrusted with the responsibility to collect and supply small forest produce, as raw material for herbal medicines.
These are namely Gram Van Samiti Donganala (Forest Division Katghora, Korba district, Danteshwari Jyoti Mahila Self-Help Group village Kurandi (Forest Division Bastar, District Bastar), Bhuteshwarnath Vanoshadhi Prasanskaran Kendra village Keshodar (Gariaband district), Ma Narmada Self-Help Group village Kevanchi (Bilaspur district) and Danteshwari Self-Help Group village Panchakki (Jashpur district).
Forest Department's efforts and initiatives to provide employment and additional income to dwellers of forest areas in Chhattisgarh through herbal industry are consistently yielding positive results.
Followed by the survey of small forest produce, a record of 3,399 traditional herbal medicines have been prepared, after consultation with 418 traditional 'vaid' in 21 places, so as to promote herbal health care.
Cooperatives based undertaking of State government- Chhattisgarh State Small Forest Produce (Marketing and Development) Cooperatives Society is looking after the marketing of herbal medicines produced by these processing centres.
The Department is selling these products under the brand name of 'Chhattisgarh Herbal'. State Government's Ayush Department has given medicine license to these products. Demand for these products is increasing significantly.
For marketing of these products, total six Sanjeevani Centres have been established in capital city Raipur, District Headquarters Durg, Bilaspur, Ambikapur, Kanker and Jagdalpur. These centres were established in year 2007.
A ‘Home Herbal Garden Scheme’ has been launched to create awareness among masses regarding these medicinal plants, which have significance as home remedies for cough-cold, burn injury, wounds, stomach pain, headache and skin-related diseases. These herbal medicines have no side effects on human body.
These saplings can be easily planted in any open space. The Chhattisgarh State Medicinal Plant Board had also conducted special drive for distribution of medicinal plants, which had turned out to be quite successful.
Chhattisgarh with its massive forest resource has huge potential for supply of medicinal plants to the general public for their kitchen gardens with the prime objective of promoting their health and well being.
Under the ‘Home Herbal Garden Scheme,’ medicinal value saplings were distributed to people which they can easily plant in pots or nurseries.
The Chhattisgarh government has also 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’ established in 32 different locations, officials informed.
Other than Raipur, the Sanjeevani Centre retail outlets are being operated at district headquarters of Durg, Bilaspur, Ambikapur, Kanker and Jagdalpur also, they informed.
During the last nine years till 2014, forest medicines worth Rs 2.17 crore have been sold in 2013-14, the quantity of products sold increased by three times. The Government's Ayush Department have given license to 102 forest medicines produced by Forest Medicine Processing Centres of state, under Cosmetic and Drug Act, officials stated.