‘J&K has impressive infrastructure success stories’
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 23: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today said that Srinagar is a strange blend of traditional heritage and that the delegates from different G20 countries were excited about the event, place and the agenda of the meeting.
Talking to the reporters here on the sidelines of the G-20 3rd Tourism Working Group Meeting, Dr Jitendra Singh said that all the delegates are absolutely excited about the event, place and agenda of the meeting.
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He said that they hope a major boost to international tourism from the meeting.
Dr Singh also said that the Government of India is in the process of chalking out a national strategy document on film tourism, which is one of the first of its kind initiative happening from the Government sector to institutionalize the promotion of film tourism.
“I think there could not have been a better place than Srinagar, J&K to have launched that, which we did yesterday,” he said.
“Srinagar is a strange blend, we have a very rich traditional heritage personified over here. At the same time, we have some of the most monumental infrastructural success stories written over here, which include the highest railway bridge in the world and the longest bi-directional road tunnel,” he said.
Dr Singh said during his address to the side event that India has no dearth of talent having the century old film legacy with leading names of Guru Dutt and Satyajit Ray who have been acknowledged for their art work despite no avenues and facilities.
Dr Singh hoped that the business community would help in scaling up the efforts already taken by the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of I&B.
Singh said, ease of film making and upgradation of the existing studios has to be pursued rigorously to support the film industry. “Liberalisation of state regulations has to be taken up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to encourage film making throughout India,” he added.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the G20 Tourism Group meeting, Dr Singh said that Srinagar offers wide-range of handicrafts-the embroidery, paper machie, crewel and various other forms of art.
He said that new industries are coming up and infrastructure is being developed rapidly.
The Minister said that J&K is home to some of the most impressive infrastructure success stories. “For instance, our highest railway bridge is 35 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower. The Shama Mukherji Tunnel, which is the longest bi-directional road tunnel in Asia, is located here, along with the oldest seats of learning as far as Persian and Sanskrit are concerned,” he said.
“Additionally, a lot of science tourism has emerged in recent years, with Jammu and Kashmir serving as their birthplace. The aroma mission is located in Gulamrg, not far from where we are now. The lavender cultivation that is now giving Start-up and livelihood opportunities for thousands of people, boys and girls, here, as well as the purple mission that is making headlines across the nation, all have their roots here,” he added.
Dr Singh said during a side event that China’s not attending the G20 meeting in Srinagar does not make any difference and it is their loss, not India’s.
“That (China not attending the meeting) does not make any difference. China not coming is China’s loss, not India’s,” he said.
On holding the G20 event in Kashmir, Dr Singh said different venues will give an idea to the delegates about the places they visit.
“We are not a small, homogeneous nation like some countries in Europe. We are a diverse country,” he said.
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