India, Dec. 5 -- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday directed officials to step up innovation, value addition and marketing in the state's herbal and medicinal plant sector. Chairing a meeting of the Herbal Advisory Committee at the Secretariat, he asked departments to develop village-level clusters and prioritise the promotion of high-altitude herbal resources.

Dhami said a team of experts will be sent to two leading states in the herbal and aroma sector to study best practices that can be replicated in Uttarakhand. He emphasised coordinated efforts across research, production, branding and market outreach to expand the state's herbal economy.

Calling the Himalayas a natural hub of herbal wealth, the Chief Minister...