Jammu, February 08 (Scoop News)-Responding to the demands made by PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Jammu Region Chapter ( PHDCCI ),through its Chair Rakesh Wazir,who is also President,Hotel & Restaurant Association, Katra,and was accompanied by Shyam Lal Kesar Executive Member PHDCCI & Chairman, HRAK, and Kartik Partap Singh, Deputy Resident Director, PHDCCI Jammu,Chief Minister J&K, Omar Abdullah said that Jammu Region as a whole has vast potential of religious Tourism and need of the hour is this that it be tapped fully and Jammu be made as hub of pilgrimage Tourism and every effort would be made to achieve that goal by diverting the Vaishnodevi pilgrims to other places of Tourist intrests.He said that it is not mandatory that a pilgrim who has come to Vaishnodevi ji will not visit any where else and if worked properly can visit other places as well, thereby increasing the Tourism potential and economy of J&K.
While speaking on the occasion Mr.Wazir besides expressing gratitude to Chief Minister for opportunity being provided to them to present their views on the revival and sustenance of industry and tourism in Jammu & Kashmir, and emphasised for extension of the New Central Sector Scheme (NCSS) which expired on September 30, 2024, and brought significant investment to J&K. It was proposed that the scheme be extended with a focus on local entrepreneurs, incorporating incentives for hotel renovations and industrial unit upgrades with preference to units which may increase the Tourism as well as infrastructure of UT including Hotels, Boarding schools, Universities, Hospitals, and adventure tourism infrastructure etc.
He requested for GST refunds to hotels because there was no tax on hospitality sector prior to the coming of GST regime and also requested for industrial power tariffs for the hotel industry on par with the manufacturing sector.
He besides giving the examples of success stories of Shiv Khori,Nau devian,Dhansar,Siar Baba,Patnitop,Bhaderwah where Vaishnodevi ji Yatra was rotated and it increased many folds also emphasized the need to rotate one crore annual Vaishnodevi pilgrims to other tourist destinations within J&K besides making more focus on these destinations and suggested key measures including starting of light and sound show on Maa Vaishnodevi’s history at Katra,beautification and infrastructure enhancement at Mansar Lake,setting up a Jammu tourism museum with interactive exhibits,developing integrated tour packages for religious, heritage, and adventure tourism.
Mr.Wazir emphasised for simplification of tourism registration and renewal process and said that it is the dire need for attracting more investment in this sector besides for retaining the units which are already here in this sector.
He highlighted the burden being faced by J&K’s flour millers due to the Punjab government's levy of a 6% mandi fee, making local production uncompetitive and requested for making some provision for them so that they may be able to compete them.
Mr.Kesar while speaking on the occasion said that publicity is the major component by which Yatra can be increased and rotated to other parts of UT and to do that suggested measures including bringing national media to promote Vaishnodevi and nearby sites,encouraging film shoots at Vaishnodevi and other key destinations,providing free promotional photographs online,participation in tourism trade fairs and festivals
He requested for immediate start of Katra’s ₹10 crore separate water supply scheme, because Katra is under acute water shortage besides making Katra as a whole beautiful with specila focus on cleanliness and up gradation of basic infrastructure including roads,under ground wires etc.
He said that Jammu Master Plan which is being drafted now, the suggestions/objections submitted by PHDCCI be incorporated in it.
He also requested that on the pattern of domestic consumers an amnesty scheme for commercial consumers of electricity be brought and gave the examples of units which became sick in carona and could not recove till today.
Mr.Omar Abdullah listened each and every point raised in the meeting patiently and assured that sympathetic consideration will be given to each and every point.
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