SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal, said that the state had 7.23 percent of the nation's bio-diversity which if exploited scientifically could generate additional income avenues to the people.

He was addressing the Valedictory Function of four-day long Seminar on Post Graduate Nephrology-2008 organized by New Delhi Kidney Care Foundation in collaboration with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Mayo Clinic, USA .

Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh being Himalayan State had been blessed with immense natural wealth in the shape of valuable natural flora and fauna, rare medicinal herbs and bio-diversity.

He said that the bio-diversity had potential to grow rare medicinal herbs in sufficient quantity to cater to the need of pharmaceutical companies manufacturing ayurvedic and allopathic medicines. He said that atleast quantum of the drugs originate from medicinal plants which if cultivated scientifically could generate employment and self-employment avenues to the rural youth.

He said that State Government was according top priority to the farm sector to give boost to floriculture, herbiculture, sericulture and cash crops.

He said that the State had varied agro-climatic conditions congenial to cultivate different types of medicinal herbs. He said that while the cold zones were suitable for cultivation of rare and at the verge of extinct medicinal herbs the lower areas could grow other medicinal plants required in huge quantity. Dhumal said that State offers best climatic conditions to give boost to health tourism where medicinal herbs could also play supplementing role.

He said that network of about 1118 ayurvedic health institutions had been created all over the State, besides, developing herbal gardens at different climatic zones to scientifically cultivate the medicinal herbs as also motivate State farmers to cultivate medicinal herbs in their farms to get higher income from their land holdings.

He said that the scientists of the State were also providing technical know-how to the farmers showing interest in herb cultivation. He added that State Government had made it a time-bound programme to get the farm soil of one lakh farmers tested during current financial year and issue them 'Soil Health Cards' with the suitability of the farm land for particular type of crops and herbs.

He said that gradually the entire farm community of the State would be issued Soil Health Cards and farm sector revolutionized to emerge income generating and self-contained in all respects. Chief Minister said that ayurvedic system of medicines were gaining popularity the world over and the State could emerge the centre of health tourism for tourists from every part of the world on creation of quality health infrastructure in the natural environs of the State.

He said that life-saving drugs had emerged as the necessity of every individual and there were a very little percentage of the people who did not use ayurvedic or allopathic medicines for one reason or the other.

He further said that the State had upgraded its health infrastructure and created quality health network to cater to the latest medical requirements having a large number of such institutions in public and private sectors. He said that the modernization of the health sector would be carried to maintain quality health service. Dhumal welcomed the nephrologists from all-over the country and USA to the State and said that State was proud to host such important seminars in the capital town which had benefitted the budding and practicising nephrologists by getting their professional skills updated with the latest research in the discipline.

Vidya Acharya, world renowned nephrologist congratulated the Chief Minister for having such a vast bio-diversity potential in the State, besides, the best maintained environmental conditions. She said that hill people were less prone to a number of ailments but the modern living conditions were responsible to affect the hill people as well.

She said that given the best agro-climatic conditions the medicinal herbs could be cultivated on commercial basis, which could generate employment and income avenues to the local people.

Dr. Devendra Rana, another world-renowned nephrologist hailing from a small village of district Hamirpur, presently positioned as Chairman Department of Nephrology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi emphasized the need of creating nephrology treatment facilities at the district level hospitals in the State.

He said that it was worrisome as 49 percent of the population of the State was suffering from hypertension while 32 percent had diabetes, which needed to be given serious, thought by the State Health authorities. He said that the endeavour needed to be made to deliver people quality health care at affordable costs.