Govt mulling 100% FDI for world class infrastructure
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, May 22: Union Minister for Tourism G Kishan Reddy today said that Jammu and Kashmir expects to see 20 million tourist arrivals and that the Government is mulling 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for world class tourism infrastructure.
“In year 2022, 1.84 crore tourists visited J&K and this year, we expect 20 million tourist arrivals including foreign guests,” Reddy told reporters here.
The Minister said that India is also mulling 100 per cent FDI for world class Tourism infrastructure across the country with special focus on J&K.
“We have started the preparations, and the Government has approached all States, and discussions are going on. Our idea is that without private investment we cannot become a world tourist destination that is why we want investment globally and locally. We cannot become a world tourist destination, which is why we want investments globally and domestically, and we are also encouraging 100% FDI under Modi ,” he said.
Reddy said that G20 events are being held across the country. “In every State of the country, G20 events are being held. It’s a great pride for Srinagar to host a mega event. This event will surely pay back in the form of rise in the tourist influx,” he said.
He said this was just the beginning as India is all set to host the Global Tourism Investment Summit. “Discussions are underway with all the States/UTs and the event will be held shortly,” he said.
The Minister said that Centre will soon declare a National Tourism Policy and is also planning a Global Tourism Investment Summit.
“We are going to soon declare National Tourism Policy for India. We are planning Global Tourism Investment Summit,” Reddy said.
He said the Union Government and the Ministry of Tourism are closely working with all the Ministries and the State Governments to encourage tourism.
He said the Government of India is committed to working with all the G20 countries and all international organizations to promote sustainable tourism and sustainable practices.
“After COVID 19, in India, there is a tremendous response for domestic tourism, especially spiritual tourism, and if you take Srinagar city in March 2022, Srinagar airport’s monthly average was 90 flights per day with maximum tourist flights,” he said.
Reddy said that the tourism is Jammu and Kashmir is growing. “Today we are running the 74-160 flights up to Leh. Also, the weekly flight tally for Srinagar has gone up to 532 flights since the end of last year. This year we are expecting a double tourist number, including both foreign and domestic. Last year, we attracted 1.84 crore tourists to Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
“I hope that India will become a world tourist destination in the coming years. We are also working with all the State Governments on different schemes and policies. We prepared a draft National Tourism Policy. This was done in consultation with all the State Governments, stakeholder groups, and Ministries. In the coming days, we are going to declare a National Tourism Policy in India, and we are also planning the first Global Tourism Investment Summit,” he said.
“I hope this G20 3rd Working Group Meeting attracts not only domestic but also foreign tourists. Today we successfully discussed the film tourism. We will continue the discussion with our stake holders tourism policy and film tourism and definitely in coming years we are going to attract even foreign countries for film shooting. We will bring more and more foreign and domestic tourists to Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Speaking at the presser, G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said India is hosting G20 presidency at a time of “global turbulence”.
“Seventy per cent countries are facing debt crisis. People have lost jobs. But, India sees G20 as an opportunity,” he said.
“We are growing at a high rate of around seven per cent. We have built 40 million houses, provided toilet connection to 110 million people, drinking water connection to 240 million people. We have made 55,000 kilometres of road. Inclusive, resilient and sustainable growth is our priority. If there is growth, we will be able to lift people out of poverty,” he said.
“There is a need to transform multilateral financial institutions to ensure that resources flow to emerging countries,” Kant said.
He said India thought of making G20 as people’s presidency and the country is hosting the G20 events in 60 cities.
“It is unparalleled. The meeting in Kashmir is very very important for us as we believe in peace and prosperity,” he said.
The Chief Coordinator of G20 event Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that Jhelum Riverfront, Polo View market with underground optic fibre for Wi-Fi and shops laced with a wide range of handicrafts is a real treat for not just the domestic tourists but foreign guests as well. “G-20 will give the tangible benefits to Kashmir tourism,” he said. “The event will help in luring more and more foreign as well as domestic tourists to Kashmir. This event indeed could not have been envisaged before a few years.”
60 delegates arrive
About 60 foreign delegates arrived here today for the third Tourism Working Group meeting of the G20 countries that will begin here tomorrow.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha will inaugurate the meeting tomorrow morning at SKICC Srinagar.
This is the first international meeting being held in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile State into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh – in August 2019.
The delegates from several countries of the G20 grouping arrived in a chartered flight at the Srinagar international airport in the morning amidst tight security.
They said the delegates were taken to the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), the venue of the meeting, amid heavy deployment of security personnel along the route. The stretch has received a facelift with G20 logos painted on walls and hoardings to welcome the delegates.
Stringent security arrangements have been made to ensure that the event concludes incident-free.
According to officials, there is no restriction on the movement of people or public transport in the city or elsewhere. They said shops and business establishments were open across the city and life was “absolutely normal”.
Srinagar city has been spruced up for the three-day working group meeting on tourism. Several projects, which were part of Srinagar Smart City, were taken up on priority and the city has been decked up for the international event.
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