The Union Minister of State for AYUSH has urged the Delhi Government to include medicinal forests or Aushadhi Vans in its afforestation drive. The proposal is linked to Delhi’s plan for large-scale plantation, Ridge ecosystem restoration, and expansion of green cover.
The request matters because it connects urban afforestation with biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration, air-quality improvement, and supply of raw material for the AYUSH sector.
What the Delhi plan proposes
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta welcoming the Delhi Government’s initiative to expand green cover and conserve the Delhi Ridge ecosystem.
He described the initiative as a step towards environmental conservation and sustainable urban development. The key components cited in the communication were:
The Minister welcomed the proposal to plant over 70 lakh indigenous and climate-resilient trees, develop more than 70 water bodies, and notify nearly 6,000 hectares of land as forest area.
Related current affairs
- Government strategy to promote Ayush-based medical and wellness tourism (Ayush Visa, Quality Mark, STGs, international cooperation)
- Lakshmi Yojana: CM gives 4,000 sanction letters
- Lakshmi scheme: CM hands sanction letters to over 4,000 women
- Reclaiming Assam’s elephant habitat, one weed at a time
- PCIM&H and IPC renew MoU for “One Herb, One Standard” to harmonise quality standards for traditional medicines
- AYUSH Parliamentary Consultative Committee focuses on Yoga and Naturopathy for preventive healthcare