A proposal for the establishment of 100 school herbal gardens across the Jammu Division, with a financial outlay of 53 lakh rupees, has been approved by the National Medicinal Plants Board of the Union Ministry of Ayush.

According to the Directorate of Ayush in Jammu and Kashmir, the initiative aims to promote awareness and conservation of medicinal plants by integrating traditional knowledge into the school education system. Ten schools in each district have been selected for the project by the Directorate of School Education, Jammu.

The herbal gardens will serve as practical learning spaces where students will gain hands-on knowledge about the identification, cultivation, and uses of medicinal plants while fostering respect for nature and traditional healthcare systems.

Director Ayush of Jammu and Kashmir and CEO of the Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Board, Dr Ajay Kumar Tikoo, termed the approval a significant milestone, stating that the initiative will strengthen the link between education and indigenous knowledge. The project is expected to promote preventive healthcare awareness, environmental responsibility, and conservation of valuable plant species among students.