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| Surpassing tourist arrival a major peace dividend: Jora | | Says Germany withdraws travel advisory against J&K |  Jammu,March 26 (Scoop News) - Saying that year 2011 has been the year of making history in terms of surpassing all previous records of receiving tourists and pilgrims in the State, the Minister for Tourism and Culture Nawang Rigzin Jora today said that the conducive atmosphere has made European Countries start considering withdrawal of Negative Travel Advisories issued earlier. The Germany has already withdrawn the Travel Advisory.
Replying to the debate on demands of grants for Tourism, Culture, libraries and archives departments for the next financial, in the Legislative Assembly today, the Minister said that the peace during the last year has given fresh impetus to the tourism activities in the State be it leisure or adventure tourism in the Valley and Ladakh or pilgrim arrivals to Shri Amarnath Ji cave and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji. He said the Kashmir valley received the highest ever number of 13.14 lakh tourists which was 79% higher over the previous year. Ladakh also witnessed an unprecedented increase in arrivals in 2011 which were 1.79 lacs, 136% more than previous year. He said the inflow to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji has touched 10 million mark adding that the shrine of Shiv Khori is fast developing as a prominent pilgrim destination with 15 lac pilgrims in 2011. Shri Amar Nath Ji Yatra went off very smoothly and highest ever number of pilgrims visited the cave this year, he added.
The Minister said that the Government has drawn a futuristic strategy for further growth of tourism sector. He said the strategy drawn broadly includes Development of infrastructure through public investment and by extending incentives for enhancing private investment, focused and regulated development of major tourist destinations by Tourism Development Authorities, promotion of the State’s USPs with a proactive publicity campaign, development of tourism product areas like heritage, adventure, golf, convention, pilgrim and eco-tourism, regulation of tourist trade for tourist Facilitation and capacity building of local youth.
The Minister said that for development of Tourism sector in the State, the Centre has so far sanctioned 117 projects costing Rs.400 crores under destination and Circuit Development Schemes ever since their inception. He said out of these, 52 projects costing Rs. 186 crores have been sanctioned in the last three years. He said till date 47 projects have been completed out of which 40 have been completed during the last three years. He said 70 projects are under implementation. He said 27 more projects are expected to be sanctioned in the coming months, DPR’s of which are already under submission to Government of India.
The Minister said that work on Naagar Nagar, Srinagar-Watlab Circuit and Trans Himalayan Culture Center have been taken up at the total cost of Rs. 60 crore. He said approval for restoration and conservation work on three buildings of Mubarak Mandi Heritage complex estimated at a cost of Rs. 25 crore is expected to receive soon from the Centre.
The Minister said that Centre has agreed to sanction three more mega tourism projects of Rs. 50 crore each to the State during coming fiscal. He said under these projects a Sufi Circuit would be developed in Kashmir, Spiritual Circuit in Jammu and Buddhist circuit in Leh. He said Centre has also agreed to sanction funding for revival of light and sound show in Shalimar garden, Laser show on Dal-Lake and establishment of Kashmir Haat on the lines of Delhi Haat.
About utilizing the funds provided by the Centre and also those under the State Plan, the Minister said that substantial progress has been achieved in development of infrastructure. He said Government has established a golf circuit to attract high end tourists in the State. He said these golf courses include internationally acclaimed Royal Springs Golf Course Srinagar, Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sidhra Golf Course Jammu. He said the Golf Courses of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sidhra were commissioned this year. He said the Sidhra Golf Course is simultaneously being upgraded to 18 hole golf course.
He said Chairlift for international skiing destination Kongdoori to Marryshoulder Gulmarg was commissioned during the year. He said erstwhile gutted TRC is being re-constructed as Tourist City Centre at Srinagar to showcase rich heritage of state and other state of art tourist related facilities.
The Minister said that Heli Sking has been introduced in the state for the first time adding that border tourism in Jammu is 2nd after Punjab introduced in the state to exploit tourism potential in the region.
Giving further details of the major achievements registered under the tourism sector, the Minister said a new TRC at Nowgam Srinagar, gateway Complex at Lavidora Qazigund, 9 Hole Golf Course at Sidhra Jammu,Chinar bagh Srinagar, up-gradation into 18 Hole golf course at Pahalgam, golf course at Gulmarg, Pahalgam Golf Course upgraded to 18 Hole Golf Course of the international standards, Construction of Yatri Niwas, Chairlift from Kangdoori to Marryshoulder Gulmarg, Club Building, and Youth Hostels building at Sonamarg, TRC & Tourist Resorts at Amiranagar Bhaderwah, Lahwali Bowli Rajouri, Surankot and Mendar, Poonch, Satwain Lakhanpur, Kishtwar, 8 No of double bed room huts in Kupwara and reconstruction of TRC Srinagar as Tourist City Centre taken up for execution have been completed. He said construction of Convention Centre at Leh is in progress adding that a number of forts have been taken up for conservation which mainly include Bhimgarh fort, Samba Fort, Jhandi Fort and Lakhanpur Fort.
The Minister said that reconstruction of Pahalgam club as convention centre cum convocation and facilitation centre and reconstruction of Gutted Budshah Hotel is in full swing. The structure is being converted into 3 large food courts for tourists. He said development of tourist entertainment park in Ransoo, Baitual Ziareen, Rajouri and Development of Dalsar Lake, Udhampur has been taken up for execution for focused development of Jammu Division as per the recommendations of the Special Task Force, Jammu.
The Minister said that to extend holidays of visiting tourists and pilgrims’ new tourists spots are being developed and infrastructure is being created, adding that in this regard tourism ring corridors are being developed especially in Jammu division. He said in Jammu division Lakahanpur-Sarthal-Bani- Basoli, Badharwah-Kistwar-Sinthen-Anantnag and Jammu Rajouri Poonch Tourists circuits are being developed at an estimated cost of Rs. 24 crore to divert the pilgrim tourists towards these spots. He said SudhMahaDev pilgrim site would be also developed adding that beautification work on Tawi river banks at Lake View is being also taken up. He said cable car project from Mubarak mandi Palace to Bahu Fort would be taken up soon. He said Boarder Tourism development in Jammu division is also on focused attention of the Government.
The Minister said that tourism in the State have already declared as an Industry and financial support with incentives to the investors kept available adding that these rules make more vibrant by revision for private investors.
The Minister said to showcase the unabundent tourism potential in and outside the Country, the Government has engaged the consultancy of reputed advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather for preparation of media plans, adding that a promotional film would be also telecasting on national and satellite TV channels at different intervals of time.
He said organizing local festivals, motor rallies and sports events have become regular annual features to attract tourists of the country as well as abroad.
Regarding activities of J&K Academy of Art and Culture, Jora said a number of initiatives have been taken to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the State. Some of these include up gradation and modernization of the famous cultural centers of Tagore Hall, Srinagar and Abhinav Theatre, Jammu. He said the interior designing of SPS Museum Srinagar required for making the museum functional and to open to the public is in progress. The Government is also planning to establish a Cultural Complex “Tehzeeb Mehal” in Srinagar and preparatory steps in this regard are being taken. He said the Government has created Heritage Conservation and Preservation Authority after notifying Heritage Conservation & Preservation Act. The Ancient Monuments Acts has been amended and its rules are being notified. A three days Kashmir festival was held recently at IIC Delhi to showcase the cultural heritage of the State. Digitization of more than 15 lac folios of Archives and Rare books & Manuscripts and Automation & Networking of four Public Libraries has been taken in hand, Jora said adding that the construction of SPS Library Srinagar has been speeded up.
Earlier, the legislators who took part in the debate discussion on grants include Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, Harshdev Singh, Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, Mohammad Sharief Niaz, Master Lal Chand, Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Jugal Kishore, Rafi Ahmed Mir, Er. Abdul Rashid, Krishen Chander Bhagat, Ashwani Sharma, Jagdish Raj Sapolia, Abdul Haq Khan, M. Y. Tarigami, T. Namgyal, Ashok Kumar, Charanjit Singh, Mir Saifullah, Peerzada Mansoor Hussain, Abdul Majid Wani, Feroz Ahmed, Ch. Mohammad Ramzan, Baldev Raj Sharma and Balwant Singh Mankotia.
Later, the House passed the grants amounting to Rs. 225.22 crore for next financial year in favour of Tourism, Culture and Achieves departments with voice vote after the concerned members withdrew their cut.
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