2-day National Tourism Conference at Jammu University J&K keen to recapture numero uno position among Indian states: Jora ‘Tourism revival must for sustainable development’       Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora at the inaugural function of a 2 Day National Conference on “Tourism in India: Challenges Ahead”, organized by Jammu University Jammu, March 06 – Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora has said that J&K is one of the finest tourist destinations and a jewel in India’s crown, adding that the State Government is keen to recapture the numero unoposition that the State enjoyed for long in the country. He said the State Government is up to the challenge to revive tourism industry which is essential for sustainable development of the State. The Minister was making an exhaustive speech at the inaugural function of a two-day National Conference on “Tourism in India: Challenges Ahead”, organized by Jammu University here today ... more

Rs 3.65 Crore Project for Tourism Promotion in Gurez Tulail: Jora ‘Mubarak Mandi- Bagh-e-Bahu Cable Car Projects to take off soon’ Jammu, March 06 – Minister for Tourism & Culture Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora has said that Gurez has great potential for development of adventure tourism. He said that a tourism festival was organized by the Tourism Department at Gurez during 2007 and the department is going to again organize one more such festival this year to highlight the tourism potential of the area. Mr. Jora, while replying to a question raised by Mr. Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, said that Gurez has already been brought on the tourism map and incentives for setting up of tourism units are being provided to intending entrepreneurs as per the norms of the department. He said that 30 per cent capital outright investment subsidy up to Rs 30 lakh is being provided for setting up of new units and 50 per cent on training of personnel in tourism industry for a maximum period of 18 months and 40 per cent on diesel generating sets up to maximum subsidy of Rs one lakh. He said that 40 per cent subsidy is being provided to paying guest house owners for renovation of their guest houses up to maximum of Rs 2 lakhs, while as, 50 per cent on support for adventure and recreation tourism up to maximum of Rs five lakh, he further said that 50 per cent subsidy is being provided up to maximum of Rs one lakh to the intending persons for purchase of adventure tourism equipment... more

2-day National Tourism Conference at Jammu University
J&K keen to recapture numero uno position among Indian states: Jora
‘Tourism revival must for sustainable development’

Jammu, March 06 – Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora has said that J&K is one of the finest tourist destinations and a jewel in India’s crown, adding that the State Government is keen to recapture the numero unoposition that the State enjoyed for long in the country. He said the State Government is up to the challenge to revive tourism industry which is essential for sustainable development of the State.

The Minister was making an exhaustive speech at the inaugural function of a two-day National Conference on “Tourism in India: Challenges Ahead”, organized by Jammu University here today.

Vice Chancellor, Jammu University, Prof. Varun Sahni, Director, Business School, Jammu University, Prof. Keshav Sharma, Convener, SAP, Mr. Ashok Aima, Dean, Academic, Jammu University, Prof. Sehgal, Director, CHTM, Dr. Deepak Raj Gupta, various HoDs, students and prominent citizens also attended the Conference.

The Minister said tourism has contributed immensely to the growth of the State, adding that multiple beneficial aspects of domestic and international tourism have special relevance to the socio-economic development of the State.
Mr. Jora said that State’s economy would truly grow if proper attention is paid towards available natural resources of all the three regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in the State. He added that in Jammu, after industrial sector, pilgrim-tourism offers great potential that needs to be properly tapped. “Even if 10 per cent of 72 lakh visitors are encouraged to tour tourist destinations like Bhaderwah, Surinsar-Mansar and Bani-Basholi, it will spread the yarn of tourism further in the region”, the Minister said.

Referring to the great tourism potential of Kashmir valley, the Minister said the “Paradise on Earth” is blessed with attractive spots that require immediate up-gradation. He underscored the need for formulating a viable and relevant strategy for sustainable tourism development of the Valley.
He said the Government has already launched a drive to identify and explore more scenic spot in this season and added that new spots like Bungus and Neelam Valley in remote areas of Kashmir have already been picked for development. He also said the ragged mountains of Zanskar and Nobra valley in Ladakh and Bhaderwah in Doda district of Jammu province have emerged on the tourism map of the State in recent times, adding that development of key infrastructure of the new spots are being taken up on priority.

He also stressed on promotion of cultural tourism by brining more heritage sites on to the tourism map so that it can be showcased for overseas and domestic visitors. “The cultural treasure needs to travel beyond J&K. For this we have evolved a strategy wherein our tourism is bed-rolled with culture so that it travels across reaching global audience”, the Minister said, adding that heritage cottages at several new spots have been proposed to provide fillip to the sector.
Mr. Jora spoke at length on the tourism potential of Ladakh region and said that efforts are on to improve arrivals vis-à-vis domestic tourists as the region has already carved out a niche for itself among foreign travelers. He also identified the potential of Ladakh region in culture and adventure tourism.

The Minister said the Government was fully aware of the threat to tourism fromchallenges of climate change and global warming, adding that a workable mechanism is being put in place to achieve desired results. “We won’t allow human interference into our State’s environment and any disturbance in our eco-system will be strictly dealt with”, the Minister warned.

Mr. Jora also highlighted adventure tourism potential which, he said, has not been fully explored. He said steps are underway for making J&K a suitable adventure tourism destination for sports lovers and travelers.

Prof. Sahni, in his address, also gave suggestions for sustainable tourism development of the State.

Rs 3.65 Crore Project for Tourism Promotion in Gurez, Tulail: Jora
‘Mubarak Mandi- Bagh-e-Bahu Cable Car Projects to take off soon’

Jammu, March 06 – Minister for Tourism & Culture Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora has said that Gurez has great potential for development of adventure tourism. He said that a tourism festival was organized by the Tourism Department at Gurez during 2007 and the department is going to again organize one more such festival this year to highlight the tourism potential of the area.

Mr. Jora, while replying to a question raised by Mr. Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, said that Gurez has already been brought on the tourism map and incentives for setting up of tourism units are being provided to intending entrepreneurs as per the norms of the department. He said that 30 per cent capital outright investment subsidy up to Rs 30 lakh is being provided for setting up of new units and 50 per cent on training of personnel in tourism industry for a maximum period of 18 months and 40 per cent on diesel generating sets up to maximum subsidy of Rs one lakh. He said that 40 per cent subsidy is being provided to paying guest house owners for renovation of their guest houses up to maximum of Rs 2 lakhs, while as, 50 per cent on support for adventure and recreation tourism up to maximum of Rs five lakh, he further said that 50 per cent subsidy is being provided up to maximum of Rs one lakh to the intending persons for purchase of adventure tourism equipment.

The Minister said that Union Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned Rs. 3.65 crore for development of Gurez and Tulail valleys as tourism destinations. He said that under this programme, various tourism related works are in progress in the tehsil, adding that Rs 2 lakh have been placed at the disposal of SDM, Gurez for execution of 3 log huts.

The Tourism Minister said that Dhar-Mahanpur area has been notified in the Tourism Incentive Rules, 1995 under less developed area in category “B”.
Replying to a question raised by Mr. Jagdish Raj Sapolia, Mr. Jora said that the Tourism department has constructed sarai building at Mata Joudian for pilgrims and visitors. He said that construction work of TRC, Basholi costing Rs 1.83 crore is in progress.

Mr. Jora said that Union Minister of Tourism has sanctioned infrastructure development scheme for Lakhapur at a cost of Rs 2.64 crore. He said that the Ministry has also sanctioned Lakhanpur-Bani-Basholi Sarthal Tourism Circuit development programme at a cost of Rs 8 crore, for which Rs 6.39 crore have been released, so far.

Replying to the supplementaries raised by Mr. Raman Bhalla, Mr. Ashwani Sharma, Mr. A.R. Veeri, Mr. Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, Mr. Abdul Haq Khan, Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, Peer Afaq Ahmad, Syed Bashir Ahmad and Ms Sakina Ittoo, the Tourism Minister said that to showcase the tourism potential of the State, a strong publicity campaign has been launched through print and electronic media across the country to attract more and more tourists to the State. He said that organization of tourist melas was another area of attention for attracting the tourists. He said that Government was keen to explore hitherto unknown tourist spots to boost the tourism sector in the State.

The Tourism Minister said that a comprehensive strategy was needed to divert maximum number of Vaishno Devi pilgrims towards nearby tourist spots to promote tourism in Jammu division. He said that Cable Car project (Ropeway between Mubarak Mandi to Bagh-e-Bahu) is under tendering process and work on the project would start soon.