Union Territory, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said that Jammu and Kashmir herald the ‘Purple Revolution’ of India by taking a lead in the lavender cultivation in almost all the 20 districts of the Union Territory.
It has been observed that districts of Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Srinagar, Pulwama, Kupwara, Bandipora, Budgam, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Kulgam and Baramulla have made a huge headway in lavender cultivation and its farming.
On the eve of India’s 75th Independence Day, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has visible footprints in J&K and Northeast, both being the priority areas of the Government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Minister added that CSIR’s Aroma Mission is creating new avenues of self-livelihood.
Also he observed that Aroma Mission of the CSIR has created rural employment of farmers, spurred entrepreneurship in aromatic oils and other aromatic products manufacturing, and lowered the import of essential and aromatic oils.
Also in the meeting Singh engaged in a virtual interaction with farmers who are involved in aroma mission through CSIR from across the country, including Doda in J&K, Assam in Northeast, Shirdi in Maharashtra, Barabankvi in Uttar Pradesh and Mandi in Himachal Pradesh.
Because of CSIR’s Aroma Mission, important medicinal and aromatic plants are being cultivated in 6,000 hectares of land. The Mission has created 10 to 12 lakh man-days of rural employment and more than 500 tonnes of essential oil worth Rs.60 crores was produced during past two years.