Lavender revolution in  Himachal Pradesh, Northeast to boost entrepreneurship: Govt

Purple push in hill states: The planting of lavender, also known as the ‘purple revolution’ has spread to states, such as Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Meghalaya to have put these hill states on the world map of progressive farming, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Saturday. 

Singh lauded agri startups-turned-agri entrepreneurs for planting lavender on both sides of a national highway and on its divider over an area of more than 1 lakh sq km.

"This is a unique initiative which has multiple objectives. It will try to help bring down the damage caused to the environment by vehicular emissions, prevent road accidents by making pedestrians aware about jaywalking on the highway,” said the Minister at an event in J&K, adding that the plantation will add to the beautification of the road. 

Meanwhile, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, on Saturday signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Anphar Laboratories (P) Ltd, JK Aroma Farmers Producer Cooperative Ltd, and Himalayan Essential Oils Producer Company Ltd (HEOPCL).

The institute is collaborating with the NHAI to carry out lavender plantation on NH-44 from Ramban to Banihal, aimed at sustainable environmental practices and advancing highway infrastructure development, CSIR-IIIM Director Zabeer Ahmed said. “The UT has taken a lead in the Aroma Mission and exemplified that it would have a significant role as a great contributor to the agri economy of India in the next 25 years in the run-up to a developed India of 2047 as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, Singh said.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday launched ‘green cultivation’ via lavender plantation along the national highways on the National Highway-44 in J&K. 

(With PTI inputs)