Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 17: To give fillip to the tourism industry in the State, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today urged the Centre to include Srinagar airport among the airports in the country from where flights to ASEAN countries are to be operated.
In a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister, Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati, the Chief Minister said the operation of flights to and from ASEAN region to Srinagar airport would give the desired push to the tourism industry in the State, which it has been craving for.
“The operation of flights from and to cities like Kaula-Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok, Singapore and other cities in the region would have a positive impact on the local tourism industry and bolster the State’s economy”, she said in her letter to the Union Minister.
It may be recalled that several deputations from the tourism industry had met the Chief Minister in last few months and requested for connectivity with ASEAN countries to tap the tourism market in the region.
In another communication to Union Agriculture Minister, Radha Mohan Singh, Mehbooba Mufti has sought continuation of Central assistance to the local poultry industry, extension of loan recovery period and waiving of interest in respect of unit holders to sustain their business which suffered heavily due to floods of 2014 besides the high cost of feed imported from neighbouring States.
A group of representatives of Poultry Dealers Association had met Mehbooba Mufti recently and requested her to take up their issues with the Central Government.