Explained: The Purple Revolution and the Aroma Mission

What is Purple Revolution? Why is it in the news recently? We shall answer these questions in this UPSC blog and learn about the Purple Revolution. 

In India, the term purple revolution is generally associated with Lavender production. 

Under the Aroma Mission, the farmers in Kashmir have shifted towards the 'purple revolution.' They have moved away from conventional crops to the more lucrative production of lavender. Lavender is a purple-blooming aromatic shrub, and its various properties are sold in high margins. 

The Purple Revolution in India is an essential topic for your UPSC-GS preparation. Let's learn about it in more detail. 

What is Purple Revolution? 

The Ministry of Science and Technology initiated the Purple Revolution or Lavender Revolution in 2016. The Aroma Mission of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research led the Purple Revolution. 

Under this, the government aims to promote lavender crops by incentivising farmers to shift to the indigenous aromatic crop from other foreign alternatives. 

Farmers who produced lavender for the first time were provided free lavender seedlings as part of the goal. Those who had sown the crop before were paid Rs. 5-6 by the government per plant. 

Read about the Aroma Mission and the Purple Revolution in India topic in detail in this blog. This is a valuable addition towards your UPSC 2023 preparation. 

What is the Aroma Mission? 

The nodal laboratory for the Aroma Mission is the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow. There are other participating institutions from Palampur, Jammu, Lucknow and Jorhat. 

The Mission aims to turn India into a hub of opportunities in aroma-related products. The objective here is to use aroma-related technology to reach farmers, the industry and the consumers in society.

This will create employment opportunities for farmers and business opportunities for others. Rural development and the quality of life enjoyed by people involved in this trade will increase.

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India can attain self-sufficiency in producing major essential oils used by the domestic aroma industry. Through this, India will become the producer of finished goods and not just raw materials. 

By reducing the import demand, India can also reduce its foreign exchange drain. Most importantly, every action will be undertaken without harming the environment.

Let's look at how producing lavender helps the farmers, businesses and our economy. More specifically, we shall look at the kind of products we get from lavender and the significance of the Aroma Mission. 

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Lavender Products

Most the products of lavender can be used and are used to create different types of products. 

The primary product that we get from lavender is oil. Lavender oil is quite expensive and, in its pure form, can cost up to Rs. 10,000 per litre. 

The oil separates lavender water, which is used to make incense sticks. 

Finally, the distillation of fresh lavender flowers forms a water-based product called Hydrosol, used to make soaps and air fresheners. 

Now let us move on to the significance of the purple revolution.  

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Significance of the Purple Revolution  

The Purple Revolution is immensely significant since it aligns with the government's objectives of doubling agricultural earnings by 2022. 

And it already has. Over 500 people have benefitted from the purple revolution by doubling their income. 

More importantly, it will pave the way for future instances of entrepreneurship by creating a start-up spirit among aspiring farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs in the region. 

Thus, by using agricultural development, one of the most powerful tools to end economic constraints, a projected 9.7 billion people can be fed by 2050. 

Topics like the Purple Revolution and the Aroma Mission are abundant in the UPSC CSE syllabus. With a defined strategy, it will be easier to remember specific details about everything. 

However, the revision will be easy if you access PrepLadder's Treasures.  

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