Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap calls for documenting ancestral remedies, conserving medicinal plants and creating livelihood opportunities through value addition
TFP Bureau, Raipur, October 25,2026: Chhattisgarh has awarded certificates to 309 traditional healers from six districts under a voluntary certification scheme aimed at preserving the state’s indigenous medical practices and traditional knowledge of medicinal plants.
The certificates were presented by Forest and Climate Change Minister Kedar Kashyap at a programme organised in Kondagaon by the Chhattisgarh Tribal Local Health Traditions and Medicinal Plants Board. The board has set a target of certifying 1,000 traditional healers across the state by March 31, 2027.
Kashyap said traditional healing practices were an invaluable part of Chhattisgarh’s heritage and that the knowledge accumulated by generations of healers needed to be systematically documented and preserved for the future.
He said the state government, under the guidance of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, was committed to protecting traditional healthcare practices, including the use of forest-based medicinal remedies.
Emphasising the conservation and promotion of medicinal plants, the minister directed officials to encourage their cultivation on available panchayat land, in household gardens and at other suitable locations.
Focus on livelihoods and value addition
Kashyap said better branding, processing and marketing of forest produce, medicinal plants and traditional food products could open up new livelihood opportunities for rural communities.
He stressed the need to increase value addition to forest products, including sal seeds, to improve their economic potential. He also highlighted the nutritional value of traditional millets such as kodo, kutki and ragi, calling for greater awareness of their consumption and use.
The programme was attended by Lata Usendi, vice-chairperson of the Bastar Development Authority and Kondagaon MLA; Vikas Markam, chairperson of the Chhattisgarh Tribal Local Health Traditions and Medicinal Plants Board; board vice-chairperson Anjay Shukla; public representatives; traditional healers; and officials from the Forest Department and the Medicinal Plants Board.
The certification initiative seeks to support the preservation of traditional medical knowledge while encouraging the conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants across the state.
