The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is a department within the Ministry of Science and Technology in India established in 1971 with the objective of promoting new areas of science and technology and to play the role of a nodal department for organizing, coordinating and promoting scientific and technological activities in the country.

The DST in collaboration with NBRI has initiated an All India Coordinated Project on Plant Based Health System involving women. Under this, women are trained on different improved techniques relating to the cultivation of medicinal plants, preparation of herbal products and their marketing. Several NGOs have also been involved in this project and they have been instrumental in implementing it in different states of India.

In 1994–1995, DST initiated the Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Research Programme (DPRP), a scheme for promoting R&D in the drugs and pharmaceuticals sector. It aims at synergizing the strength of R&D institutions and the Indian pharmaceutical industry for the discovery and introduction of new drugs. Managed by Drug Development Promotion Board it covers all systems of medicine and supports the following national facilities:

1. IICB, Calcutta – Immunomodulatory Potential of Natural Products
2. IICT, Hyderabad – National Facility for Analysis of Herbo-Metallic Products
3. CARISM, SASTRA, Thanjavur – Central Facility for Pre-Clinical Studies for Research in ISM
4. IICT, Hyderabad – National Facility for Combinatorial Natural Products.

Among the 22 projects granted to the pharma sector, 3 are related to ISM; 6 product patents and 13 process patents were filed in India and abroad out of various projects financially supported under the above programme. One product patent and four process patents filed are related to AYUSH systems.