‘Diverse potential in Leh, Kargil yet to be tapped’
Points out glaring discrimination by previous Govt
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 12: Pointing out glaring discrimination with Leh and Kargil by the previous Government in Jammu and Kashmir, Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee comprising 31 Members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha has asked the Union Tourism Ministry to prepare elaborate tourism development plan for the Union Territory of Ladakh so that diverse potential could be tapped properly and expeditiously.
The Parliamentary Panel in its 270th report on the development of tourism in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir had observed that the then Government had not submitted any proposal for funds during 2017-2018 and 2018-19 for the development of tourism in Ladakh region under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Government of India.
Moreover, no proposal was forwarded to the Union Tourism Ministry for projects under Buddhist Circuit in Ladakh region although Leh and Kargil districts were eligible for sufficient funding under this programme.
Accordingly, the Parliamentary Panel had urged upon the then J&K Government to submit proposals for the development of tourism in Ladakh at the earliest. Furthermore, the panel had recommended the Union Tourism Ministry to coordinate with the J&K Government to ensure that sufficient funds and due publicity were given for the promotion of tourism in the cold desert.
In response to these recommendations, the Union Tourism Ministry submitted that projects under Swadesh Darshan Scheme are identified for development in consultation with the State/UT Governments and are sanctioned subject to the availability of funds, submission of suitable Detailed Project Reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilization of funds released earlier.
Based on these aspects the Ministry had sanctioned projects titled integrated development of tourism infrastructure project in J&K under Himalayan Circuit of Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2016-17 and integrated development of Gulmarg-Baramulla-Kupwara-Leh under Himalayan Circuit of Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2016-17.
After going through the reply of the Union Ministry, the Parliamentary Panel has in its latest report observed, “the reply of the Ministry doesn’t cover the period of two years-2017-18 and 2018-19 for which the then J&K Government had not continuously sought any funds for development of Ladakh region”. Accordingly, the panel has sought specific relies in this regard from the Union Tourism Ministry.
It has also asked the Union Tourism Ministry to provide the details of all the existing and potential tourist sites in Ladakh region along with the budgetary support given to rejuvenate them so as to attract both domestic and international tourists to Ladakh. Moreover, the Parliamentary Panel has asked the Ministry to furnish the status of fund utilized and the implementation of integrated development of Gulmarg-Baramulla-Kupwara-Leh which was sanctioned in the year 2016-17 in Ladakh.
“As Ladakh offers multiple tourism options which cater to the taste of a vast array of tourists from varied age groups, we recommend that an elaborate tourism development plan should be conceived for Ladakh which accounts for focused promotion of rural, theme based and adventure tourism besides opening of new destinations for the tourists”, the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee has stressed.
Pointing towards the reply of the Union Tourism Ministry that it acknowledges the diverse potential of Ladakh but conceives the idea of development and promotion of tourism on a country-wide scale, the Parliamentary Panel said, “we are aware of the proposal of development and promotion on country-wide scale but keeping in view the fact that the Ladakh UT is a niche tourist destination in the country, special attention needs to be given for all-round development of the region and promotion of rural, theme based and adventure tourism may be given priority”.
The Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee has also stressed that Union Tourism Ministry should promote J&K and Ladakh Union Territories as holistic destination and enough attention should be paid towards promotion of tourism destinations and products through websites, publicity and promotional material besides social media.
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