Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 18: Showing his grave concern over the set-back received by the tourism sector in the State during over two decade long –turmoil, Minister for Tourism, G A Mir today said “let all parties across their political affiliations bring a resolution appealing the people not to harm tourists, tourist infrastructure or their vehicles in the State’’.
Replying to debate on annual grants to Tourism and Cultural Ministry in the State Assembly during second sitting here, the Minister said “we are ourselves responsible for giving a setback to tourism industry in the State on which the State economy depends to a great extent’’.
He said on one hand the members stress that tourism should be given boost and on other the House also sends a wrong signal to the tourists visiting the State.
The House talked of various resolutions recently and “let us pass a unanimous resolution in this House that no one will touch tourists visiting the state, tourist place and its infrastructure in future as it is directly linked to out livelihood” he added.
Mir said the interest shown by the members in the debate on the Tourism Ministry indicates that J&K is a tourist based State. This state has its own identification throughout world through tourism and it is said that God has created this state as a paradise on earth, he added.
He however lamented that due to the turbulent times of over two decades tourism suffered a heavy loss.
The Minister cautioned that the Western tourists don’t favour any development by disturbing the natural beauty at tourist spots and they are of the opinion that this way the State was being pout to a loss.
He said that lot of steps were taken to boost the tourism in the State. Earlier the State has few Tourism Development Authorities but the UPA Government and Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah deserves all compliments that State got more 16 to 17 Tourism Development Authorities, he added.
Now the State is not confined to Pahalgam and Gulmarg in Kashmir valley and Patnitop in Jammu region but the thrust has been given on promotion of tourism in Bani, Basholi, Doda, Bhaderwah, Lakhanpur, Kishtwar etc in Jammu region while in Kashmir the Tourism Development Authority is in offing even for Bangus area in Kupwara district.
The Minister said J&K being forest State so the attention is to be paid that ecology is not disturbed while developing the tourist spots.
Allaying the fears expressed by one member that Army was creating hurdles in development of Bangus as tourism spot, Mir said that Army has assured full cooperation in this regard.
Besides the Forest Department has also cleared the construction of huts in the area which is not covered by trees, he added.
The Minister said that tourism can’t be promoted by making structures only but a scheme for private investment in Tourism Sector has been launched by the Government. The Government will provide incentives to private people investing in tourism sector and a person who invests Rs 1 crore will be given an incentive of Rs 30 lakh, he added.
He said for promotion of tourism people have to know its concept fully and this sector has to be run like a mission.
He said the Government of India has sanctioned heavy funding for boosting tourism in the state and three projects have been cleared by it in this regard. These included Naagar-Nagar –Srinagar to Watlub Circuit for Rs 38 crore in Kashmir valley, preservation of Mubarak Mandi for Rs 16.92 crore and Rs 22.43 crore Trans Himalayan Cultural Centre Project Leh.
Besides the State has submitted a proposal for three more projects to Centre which included Rs 50 crore Sofi Culture Circuit for Kashmir, Rs 50 crore spiritual Centre for Jammu region and Rs 50 crore Budhist Circuit for Leh, he added.
The Minister said to promote Adventure Tourism in the State second Phase of Kongdoori –Marysholder Ski Chair Lift Gulmarg has been commissioned at a cost of Rs 17.50 crore while Rs 6 crore Ropeway Project Makddom Sahib would be commissioned during coming financial year.
Mir said Rs 40 crore, Mubark Mandi-Maha Maya Shabad Cable Car Project would be taken up soon after receiving forest, Wildlife and Environment clearance after receiving forest Wildlife and Environment clearance, adding the ropeway at Patnitop and Shiv Kohri would also be taken up after clearing certain bottlenecks.
He said the JKTDC is slated to touch the revenue Rs 36 crore during the current fiscal. The Corporation has spent Rs 21 crore for construction of Pahalgam Club and gutted Budshah Hotel Srinagar.
He said to promote tourism potential in the districts, 20 Tourism Development authorities have been established under which 91 projects worth 294 crore with Centre funding have been undertaken.
He also announced the creation of Golf Development Authority in the State.
The Minister said the preservation of rich cultural ethos of the state is also one of the priorities of the Government under this initiative Rs 88.36 crore Tehzeeb Mahal has been taken up in hand and Rs 67 crore SPS Museum complex Srinagar has been completed and its interior display and layout is in progress.
Besides the modernization of Tagore Hall in Srinagar and Abhinav Theatre in Jammu are also at progress at an estimated cost of Rs 17.33 crore, he said, adding 19 lakh pages of archival records were digitized while as digitization of 50 lakh more folios is in progress to preserve the historical reference.
The Minister moved a sum of Rs 236.70 crore for Tourism and Cultural Ministries which was later passed by the House with voice vote.
Earlier Congress MLA Krishan Chander Bhagat expressed his concern over ignoring his constituency in the developmental of tourism in last four years.
He alleged that not a single peny was sanctioned for the development of tourist spots like Mantalai, Sudhmahadev and other areas in his Constituency during last four years.
The Member who agitated for discrimination with his Constituency begged for development of the tourist spots in Chenani area.
Seeing the concern of the Member the Speaker Mubarak Gul urged the Minister to take the care of his Constituency.
Other members who took part in the debate included Er. Abdul Rashid, Mohammed Sharief Niaz, Mohammed Ashraf Ganaie, Master Lal Chand, Ashwani Kumar Sharma, Aijaz Jan, Balwant Singh Mankotia, Dr Mustafa Kamal, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Charanjit Singh, G M Saroori, Abdul Gani Malik, Ashok Kumar and Yashpaul Kundal.
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