New Delhi, Sep 22 (IANS): Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, Jitendra Singh on Tuesday met Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala and proposed Integrated Aroma Dairy Entrepreneurship for Jammu & Kashmir to augment the income of farmers.

"Jammu & Kashmir has abundant stock of animal husbandry and dairy resources and the same can be effectively integrated with Aroma Mission, which has already been launched in J&K by CSIR under the aegis of Union Ministry of Science & Technology," Singh informed Rupala.

This will pave the way for integrated Aroma Dairy Entrepreneurship, ensuring sustainable growth, increased income, and fresh avenues of livelihood for farmers, Singh said, adding, "The Aroma Mission, also popularly referred as 'Lavender or Purple Revolution', was started from J&K and transformed the lives of farmers who are able to grow lavender, make lucrative profit and improve their lives."

The Minister also lauded the efforts of CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) at Jammu, as the institute has introduced the crop native to Europe in the districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Rajouri in J&K, a release from the Ministry of Science and Technology said.

Under the Aroma Mission, apart from providing planting material, distillation units are also provided, and farmers are trained in extraction.

Apart from Lavender, many high value aromatic and medicinal cash crops have been introduced by CSIR in J&K.

It is now being expanded as Aroma Mission Phase II and also floriculture mission has been recently launched.