<p>"It's been just over a month since the SMS service started," Sanjay Kumar, a scientist with the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) Technology and Business Development, told reporters here. <br /><br />"Today we have over 800 farmers from states like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar registering themselves for the agro advisory service," he added.<br /><br />"From basic technical knowhow to information on advanced techniques that can boost the production of aromatic and medicinal plants, are provided by us through the SMS service," he said.<br /><br />For availing the SMS service, farmers just need to register their mobile phone numbers.<br /><br />"After the registration, any farmer can call on the helpline numbers - 0522-2718598, 2718595, with their query that is answered by a dedicated panel of CIMAP scientists through an SMS, later sent on the farmers' mobile," Kumar said.<br /><br />"As of now, the calls made by the farmers are not toll-free. Still, as soon we get a call from the farmers, we ask them to disconnect the line from their end. Later, we call them up and note down their queries," he said. <br /><br />"Thereafter, we respond to them through an SMS that is sent to their mobile number," he added.<br /><br />With the satisfactory response to the service, CIMAP officials said that in later phases the institute might introduce a toll-free service for the agro advisory.</p>
<p>"It's been just over a month since the SMS service started," Sanjay Kumar, a scientist with the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) Technology and Business Development, told reporters here. <br /><br />"Today we have over 800 farmers from states like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar registering themselves for the agro advisory service," he added.<br /><br />"From basic technical knowhow to information on advanced techniques that can boost the production of aromatic and medicinal plants, are provided by us through the SMS service," he said.<br /><br />For availing the SMS service, farmers just need to register their mobile phone numbers.<br /><br />"After the registration, any farmer can call on the helpline numbers - 0522-2718598, 2718595, with their query that is answered by a dedicated panel of CIMAP scientists through an SMS, later sent on the farmers' mobile," Kumar said.<br /><br />"As of now, the calls made by the farmers are not toll-free. Still, as soon we get a call from the farmers, we ask them to disconnect the line from their end. Later, we call them up and note down their queries," he said. <br /><br />"Thereafter, we respond to them through an SMS that is sent to their mobile number," he added.<br /><br />With the satisfactory response to the service, CIMAP officials said that in later phases the institute might introduce a toll-free service for the agro advisory.</p>