Minister tours Kheer Bhawani, oversees arrangements for Mela
Srinagar May 30 - In order to oversee the arrangements being made for smooth conduct of annual Mela Kheer Bhawani, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, Mr. Ali Mohammad Sagar today conducted a tour of the shrine along with senior officials of the administration.
Interacting with the pilgrims, Mr. Sagar said it is the endeavour of the government to provide topnotch facilities to the people of the State so that it becomes a model state in the country ... more
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Pahalgam’s untapped potential on government scanner: Minister
Golf, adventure tourism on anvil, National Rafting Champs in June
Srinagar May 30 – Minister for Tourism and Culture Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora has said that the government is exploring the possibility of tapping Pahalgam’s rich potential in golf and adventure tourism, given its treasure of natural landscape best suited for modern tourism-related activities.
Mr. Jora said Pahalgam will get certain add-on facilities to make tourism year-round activity and disclosed that the National Rafting Championship, to be organized in the third week of June, will be a beginning in that direction. He said Pahalgam, like Gulmarg, is also ideally suited for heli-skiing, which can attract more tourists to the place ... more
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Minister reviews Amarnath Yatra arrangements, inspects TRCs and Aparna Asharam in Jammu
Jammu, May 30 - Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr Nawang Rigzin Jora has exhorted upon the officers to make sincere efforts for extending all basic amenities to Shri Amarnathji Yatries at the various transit and lodging centre across Jammu city to ensure their comfortable stay before leaving for their destinations.
Mr. Jora said this while reviewing the functioning of Tourist Reception Centres (TRCs) at Airport and Railway station Jammu and said that these need to be strengthened in respect of infrastructure and manpower to provide quality services to the tourists and pilgrims pouring in the state. He said that the state was known for its age-old hospitality adding that up keeping this tradition was sure to attract heavy influx of tourists in the state ... more
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Minister tours Kheer Bhawani, oversees arrangements for Mela
Srinagar May 30 - In order to oversee the arrangements being made for smooth conduct of annual Mela Kheer Bhawani, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, Mr. Ali Mohammad Sagar today conducted a tour of the shrine along with senior officials of the administration.
Interacting with the pilgrims, Mr. Sagar said it is the endeavour of the government to provide topnotch facilities to the people of the State so that it becomes a model state in the country.
He said people of Kashmir believe in secular ethos and mutual brotherhood, which has been the cornerstone of the world-renowned Kashmiryat. “Time is not far off, when both Muslims and Pandits would be living together as they had been living earlier for centuries”, he said.
The Minister went around the shrine complex and took stock of the arrangements being done by the administration for the pilgrims on the occasion of festival. He directed the officers to ensure that devotees do not face any sort of inconvenience.
It is pertinent to mention that the temple complex has been constructed at a cost of Rs. 16 crore, having 64 one-room sets, one prayer hall, 2 langars and 2 dining-halls, besides 64 bathrooms. The complex is also fitted with sewerage treatment plant and a 40-KW generator set.
The Minister also extended his felicitations to the people on the occasion of the festival and hoped it will bring in a new era of peace and prosperity in the State.
Mr. Sagar was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, Mr. A. M. Khandey, Managing Director, JKPCC, Mr. Dalip Thussu, Divisional heads of various executing agencies like PDD and PHE, and senior officers of the District Administration.
Click here to read more information on Mela Kheer Bhawani Celebrations on 31st May, 2009.
Pahalgam’s untapped potential on government scanner: Minister
Golf, adventure tourism on anvil, National Rafting Champs in June
Srinagar May 30 – Minister for Tourism and Culture Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora has said that the government is exploring the possibility of tapping Pahalgam’s rich potential in golf and adventure tourism, given its treasure of natural landscape best suited for modern tourism-related activities.
Mr. Jora said Pahalgam will get certain add-on facilities to make tourism year-round activity and disclosed that the National Rafting Championship, to be organized in the third week of June, will be a beginning in that direction. He said Pahalgam, like Gulmarg, is also ideally suited for heli-skiing, which can attract more tourists to the place.
Mr. Jora said this while visiting Pahalgam today during which he took stock of various ongoing developmental projects and met representative of various tourism-related associations.
MLA, Pahalgam Mr. Mohammad Rafi Mir, MLC Mr. Mohammad Altaf Kaloo, Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Mr. Farooq Ahmad Shah, Chief Executive Officer, Pahalgam Tourism Development Authority, Mr. Abdul Rashid Parray accompanied the Minister.
The Minister inspected the pace of up-gradation work of golf course at Pahalgam, which is being upgraded to 18 holes at a cost of Rs. 26 crore and is spread over 1,133 kanals. He was informed that the development of golf course would be completed by the end of current financial year.
In order to provide prime facilities that can match the very best in the world, Mr. Jora said a health club, six tourist huts and a cafeteria would be constructed in close proximity of the golf course and added that Pahalgam Club, having facilities to host national and international conferences, is being constructed with a cost of Rs 12.50 crore.
The CEO, Pahalgam, while briefing the Minister, said the basic infrastructure in Betaab Valley has been created at a cost of Rs 2.38 crore and work on sewerage project at Pahalgam is afoot. He said TDA, Rs. 20 crore is being utilized on up-gradation of tourism infrastructure in the area, adding so for Rs. 11.59 crore have been expended for the purpose.
The Minister also inspected the newly-renovated TRC and Adventure Complexes, completed at a cost of Rs. one crore and directed the concerned authorities to keep available all facilities to the visitors there.
Earlier, the Minister held a meeting with the representatives of various tourism-related associations. He assured them that, keeping in view the vitality of tourism sector to the economy of the area, it was necessary that all resources are pooled in to promote the sector.
The Minister, however, also sought cooperation from the people associated with tourism for maintaining ecological balance and urged for awareness campaigns for banning use of non-biodegradable items like polythene at tourist destinations in the area.
Giving details about infrastructure extension programme, the Tourism Minister said the government is going to create added infrastructure at various other identified destinations. He said additional accommodation at known tourist spots like Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Yousmarg and Gulmarg at an estimated cost of Rs 20.30 crore would be constructed.
Responding to the demands of the associations, the Minister said a reputed consultant would be engaged for upgrading various tourism-related infrastructure in and around the health resort.
Mr. Jora said the government has sanctioned a Package of Incentives for the entrepreneurs in the State for development of tourist resorts, hotels, paying guest houses, besides setting up of other tourism-related units. He called upon interested unemployed educated youth to come forward and take benefits out of these schemes.
The Minister directed the concerned authorities to involve locals in development of new and established resorts and to make them stakeholders in tourism related ventures.
Minister reviews Amarnath Yatra arrangements, inspects TRCs and Aparna Asharam in Jammu
Jammu, May 30 - Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr Nawang Rigzin Jora has exhorted upon the officers to make sincere efforts for extending all basic amenities to Shri Amarnathji Yatries at the various transit and lodging centre across Jammu city to ensure their comfortable stay before leaving for their destinations.
Mr. Jora said this while reviewing the functioning of Tourist Reception Centres (TRCs) at Airport and Railway station Jammu and said that these need to be strengthened in respect of infrastructure and manpower to provide quality services to the tourists and pilgrims pouring in the state. He said that the state was known for its age-old hospitality adding that up keeping this tradition was sure to attract heavy influx of tourists in the state.
The Minister expressed satisfaction over the up-gradation of the infrastructure facilities at Airport TRC and directed the tourism authorities to develop the TRC at Railway station on the same pattern. He said that the state was abundantly endowed with pilgrimage tourism potential and all the three regions of the state were rich in cultural and heritage tourism as well. He asked for proper showcasing of state’s rich tourism potential so that more and more domestic as well as international tourists were diverted towards Jammu & Kashmir. He also visited Aaprna Asharam at Gandhi Nagar that has recently been taken over by the tourism department.
Director Tourism, Mr. S.M. Sawhny apprised the Minister that the TRC at Railway stations is catering the growing flux of tourists and pilgrims and diverts them to the desired tourist as well as pilgrimage destinations across the state. He said that efforts are on to tap the varied tourism potential in the state by way of creating tourism related infrastructure at the tourist destinations,.
Later, the Minister chaired a meeting of the officers of tourism department, JkTDC, industrialists, hoteliers, travel agents and representatives of NGO’s and other social organizations and reviewed the arrangements made for ensuing Shri Amaranth yatra.
Mr. Jora exhorted upon them to provide requisite facilities like drinking water, transport, accommodation, healthcare etc. to the yatries at all the lodging sites spread across the city of temples. He also sought cooperation of Jammuites in this regards, adding that the state was expecting unprecedented number of Shri Amaranth yatries and normal tourists.
Various issues concerning those engaged directly or indirectly with tourism trade came under discussion. The participants put forth their views for smooth conduct of annual Amarnathji yatra and updating facilities for visiting tourists. |
Source: Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Department of Information, Press Note, May 30, 2009