In Jammu and Kashmir, the 3rd Lavender Festival, organized by CSIR-IIM, Jammu began at Government Degree College, Bhaderwah in Doda district on Sunday.  Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reports that Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the two-day-long festival. Organized to celebrate the success and growing potential of Lavender farming in the region, the festival featured various stalls showcasing Lavender crops and a wide range of value-added products such as essential oils, soaps, and cosmetics made from Lavender. Dr. Singh visited these stalls and lauded the efforts of local farmers and entrepreneurs who have played a pivotal role in transforming Bhaderwah into a hub of aromatic farming. While addressing the gathering, Dr. Jitendra Singh commended the progressive shift of farmers from traditional crops to high-value Lavender farming.