U'khand govt, Patanjali to collaborate in herbal cultivation

The Uttarakhand government today said it is collaborating with herbal products manufacturer Patanjali to promote commercial cultivation of herbs and medicinal plants in the state.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today held a meeting with Patanjali's Acharya Balkrishna at his residence here in this regard.
Rawat asked officials to prepare a detailed MoU in consultation with the departments concerned for collaboration with Patanjali in promoting commercial cultivation of herbs and medicinal plants and their marketing.
He said it would help in generating employment opportunities in rural areas, especially in the Ayush sector.
Both discussed how Patnajali could lend a helping hand to the state government in its efforts to promote commercial cultivation of medicinal and herbal plants, an official release issued here said.

Patanjali, during the meeting, also agreed to provide lab facilities to the researchers of the Uttarakhand Ayurved Vishwavidyalaya, it said.

The statement said the the government and Patanjali agreed in principle to collaborate closely on commercial cultivation of herbal and medicinal plants.
The government will provide a list of herbs available with it to Patanjali which will soon announce the MSP for them and begin a pilot project in a village or cluster by launching contract farming or cultivation of herbs in a planned way, the release said.
Patnajali also agreed in principle to develop Muni-ki- Reti based Dr Sushila Tiwari Herbal Garden as a model herbal garden and nursery, it added.