Team Blitz India
JAMMU: “It is a moment of pride for all of us…Bhaderwah has emerged as the lavender capital of India and agri start-up destination”. This was stated by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh while inaugurating the two-day lavender festival at Bhaderwah in Jammu region.
CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu organised the event as part of its ‘One Week One Lab’ campaign.
Singh described Bhaderwah as the birthplace of India’s Purple Revolution and the destination of agri-start-ups.
The minister said the valley of Bhaderwah was the best example of development of the present progressive Government at the Centre which should have been celebrated much earlier.
Bhaderwah, he said, was the best place for lavender cultivation in terms of land and climate.
Singh, while referring to lavender cultivation in the region, said that it was an avenue of employment generation and research, opening up many paradigms of development.
Lavender cultivation has changed the lives of many farmers and it is heartening to note that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 99th edition of Mann Ki Baat, appreciated the efforts of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM) in supporting farmers in the cultivation of lavender in the Bhaderwah, Doda district, J&K under CSIR-Aroma Mission.
The CSIR-Aroma Mission is a flagship project of CSIR under which lavender cultivation is being promoted in the temperate regions of J&K. The aim of the project is to increase the income of farmers and develop agriculture-based start-ups.