Diplomat Correspondent
New Delhi: The Government of India is promoting tourism in Jammu and Kashmir through a range of ongoing schemes and initiatives aimed at holistic destination development and improved tourism infrastructure.
This was stated by Union Minister of Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Rajya Sabha in response to a parliamentary question raised in the Rajya Sabha today.
The Union Minister informed that the Ministry of Tourism promotes destinations and tourism experiences across the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, under its existing Domestic Promotion and Publicity including Hospitality (DPPH) and Overseas Promotion and Publicity (OPP) schemes.
These initiatives target both domestic and international markets to enhance visibility and tourist footfall.
He further stated that the Ministry supports tourism infrastructure development in Jammu and Kashmir through its central sector schemes such as Swadesh Darshan, Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD), and Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development (ACATID). Under these schemes, financial assistance is extended to States and Union Territories to complement their efforts in strengthening tourism infrastructure.
Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, several projects were sanctioned in Jammu & Kashmir during 2016–17 under the Himalayan Circuit.
These include the development of the Jammu-Srinagar-Pahalgam-Bhagwati Nagar-Anantnag-Salamabad Uri-Kargil-Leh circuit at a sanctioned cost of ₹77.33 crore, of which ₹67.37 crore has been released; development of tourist facilities at Jammu-Rajouri-Shopian-Pulwama at a cost of ₹81.60 crore with ₹67.35 crore released; construction of tourism assets destroyed in the 2014 floods under the Prime Minister’s Development Package at a sanctioned cost of ₹90.43 crore with ₹74.70 crore released; development of tourist facilities at Mantalai and Sudhmahadev with a sanctioned cost of ₹91.99 crore and ₹91.93 crore released; development of tourist facilities at Anantnag-Pulwama-Kishtwar-Pahalgam-Zanskar-Padum-Daksum-Ranjit Sagar Dam at a cost of ₹86.39 crore with ₹69.95 crore released; and development of tourist facilities at Gulmarg-Baramulla-Kupwara-Kargil-Leh at a sanctioned cost of ₹91.84 crore, with ₹85.80 crore released.
Under the PRASHAD Scheme, the Ministry sanctioned ₹40.46 crore for development works at the Hazratbal Shrine in Srinagar, against which ₹34.30 crore has been released. In addition, under the Assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development Scheme, a Sound and Light Show at Nigeen Lake was sanctioned at a cost of ₹5.00 crore, with ₹3.08 crore released.DD