Dr. Shekhar C. Mande , Director General CSIR along with Dr. D Srinivasa Reddy, Director CSIR-IIIM called on Lieutenant Governor J&K Sh. Manoj Sinha and apprised him about the introduction of lavender and other high value cash crops by CSIR in J&K for which a complete model is established in Pulwama District. Dr. Mande expressed his satisfaction to share that this initiative of CSIR has visible impact on the income of the farmers and employment generation particularly for women and unemployed educated youths. DG CSIR also informed the Lieutenant Governor about the other CSIR S&T initiatives in J&K and rest of the country and offered implementation of the CSIR Technologies relevant to the J&K especially societal development and rural empowerment.

The Lt. Governor appreciated the CSIR initiatives and also emphasized on scientific and industrial training of the talented youths of J&K. Expressing the serious need of implementation of CSIR proposals offered by Dr. Mande, the Lt Governor desired that the information with regard to all the readily available technologies of CSIR may be shared with the J&K UT Government to have further brainstorming to explore possibilities of their implementation.

Dr. Shekhar C. Mande , Director General, CSIR visited the CSIR-IIIM Branch Laboratory Srinagar from 10^th to 13^th July during which he took stock of ongoing R&D activities at main branch & its associated Field Stations besides also conducted an onsite review of Industrial Biotech Park, Handwara. On first day, he inaugurated the newly built Research Scholars’ Hostel and Pharmacology Lab. at Srinagar Branch. Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Head CSIR-IIIM Branch Srinagar through a power point presentation, apprised DG CSIR about the land resources, research infrastructures and the detail of staff working in the Centre. Dr. D Srinivasa Reddy, Director discussed about the future planning for the institute. Later, on the occasion, DG, CSIR also addressed the staff, visited different R&D labs and interacted with the scientists and students.

Dr Shekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR on his visit to Field Station Bonera, Pulwama inaugurated the Lavender harvesting and processing and took stock of the ongoing activities at the farm. He appreciated the efforts of the Scientists of the Farm and IIIM Branch Lab. Srinagar, being taken for farmers prosperity and women empowerment. While interacting with the women self help groups and entrepreneurs associated with Lavender farming, Dr Shekhar Mande expressed his satisfaction to learn that the adoption of Lavender farming has brought a substantial enhancement in their income and employment generation. Dr Mande assured the farmers and entrepreneurs of Union Territory, the scientific and technological advisory and support required for further expansion of the crop, facilitation of processing, value addition and marketing to achieve self sufficiency in the production of the costly industrial commodity. He further emphasized on the integration of apiary with aromatic crop production for maximizing farm productivity and profitability.

Dr D Srinivasa Reddy, Director CSIR-IIIM, Jammu while highlighting the major significance of the Field Station, Pulwama informed that the station has been the epicentre of the expansion of the industrial farming especially Lavender for enhancing farmers income and women empowerment in the UT. He also informed that the Institute through different project initiatives intends to extend the different industry oriented crops on mass scale for production of value added products and other raw materials

On 11^th July 2021, Dr. Shekhar C. Mande visited the Yarikha, Field Station of CSIR-IIIM at Tangmarg, Kashmir and inspected the R&D and societal out-reach activities being undertaken there. In order to provide hands on training to the farmers and agri-entrepreneurs, he desired that regular skill development trainings and awareness programme be conducted at Field Station.

Dr. Shekhar C. Mande , Director General CSIR alongwith Dr. Srinivasa Reddy Director CSIR-IIIM, Jammu  has taken onsite review of the progress of Industrial Biotechnology Park, Handwara Kashmir  on 12-07-2021. Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Head CSIR-IIIM Branch Srinagar and National Project Construction Corporation (NPCC) made PowerPoint presentations to apprise DG, CSIR about the mandate and progress of the Project. After thorough review, Dr. Mande has desired that regular onsite meetings of monitoring and steering committees be conducted to expedite the timely completion of the project and to explore the possibility of initiation of soft initiatives and hand holdings to make the Biotech Parks operational immediately after completion.