NEW DELHI — In a major move to link public health infrastructure with urban environmental management, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, has called for the systematic integration of traditional medicinal flora into the national capital’s expanding green belt.
In a formal communication directed to Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta, the Union Minister lauded the Delhi Government’s ambitious ecological restoration blueprint. The state’s plan features the plantation of over 70 lakh indigenous trees, the rejuvenation of more than 70 water bodies, and the formal notification of nearly 6,000 hectares of land as protected forest area to revive the fragile Delhi Ridge ecosystem.
The “Aushadhi Van” Proposal: Merging Forestry with AYUSH
While endorsing the state’s strategy to clear out aggressive, invasive species like Vilayati Kikar and Babool in favor of climate-resilient native timber like Peepal, Banyan, and Neem, Shri Jadhav urged a strategic policy expansion. He proposed a dedicated carve-out within the capital’s urban forestry model to secure the supply chain for traditional medicine:
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20% Botanical Allocation: Reserving at least 20 percent of all sapling plantations across the eight proposed urban forests exclusively for high-value medicinal flora.
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Dedicated Medicinal Forests: Alternatively, developing a minimum of two zones as specialized Aushadhi Vans (Medicinal Forests) to serve as urban biodiversity repositories.
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Raw Material Security: Establishing these forests as sustainable, traceable sources of high-quality raw botanical ingredients to fuel the expanding AYUSH manufacturing sector.
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Eco-Tourism & Awareness: Activating these green zones as focal points for ecological restoration, community wellness education, and eco-tourism within the National Capital Region (NCR).
Agro-Climatic Selection: Recommended Medicinal Species
To facilitate rapid implementation, the Ministry of Ayush has submitted an indicative list of resilient, therapeutic plant species carefully curated to thrive under Delhi’s distinct semi-arid agro-climatic conditions:
| Flora Classification | Target Species |
| Shrubs & Herbs | Ashwagandha, Giloy, Tulsi, Brahmi, Shatavari |
| Canopy & Fruit Trees | Amla, Arjun, Ashok, Neem, Bel, Jamun |
The central initiative marks a transition toward multifunctional urban forestry, setting a national precedent for how metropolitan afforestation drives can simultaneously improve ambient air quality, conserve local biodiversity, and preserve India’s heritage of traditional systems of medicine.
