Jammu, Mar 17: Acknowledging the great tourism potential of Padder Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said various steps have been taken to promote adventure and religious tourism in the picturesque belt in Kishtwar district.
Known for its Sapphire mines and the Chandi Mata temple at Machail, Padder Valley covers the entire southeastern portion of Kishtwar and borders Zanskar (Ladakh) in the north and east and Pangi (Himachal Pradesh) in the south.
In a written reply to a starred question by BJP’s Sunil Sharma in the Assembly, Abdullah, who also holds the tourism portfolio, said the government intends to develop an eco-tourism infrastructure in Kishtwar.
Sharma, a former minister who represents the Padder-Nagseni Assembly seat, sought information about the steps being taken for the promotion of tourism with specific reference to the surroundings of the Machail shrine.
“Padder has immense potential for adventure tourism, including trekking, mountaineering and river rafting. Besides, the Machail Mata Yatra is being organised smoothly with three lakh devotees paying a visit to the shrine last year,” the chief minister said.
The tourism department has taken various steps to promote adventure and religious tourism in the region, he said.
“More than 30 youths have been trained in basic mountaineering, river rafting and paragliding to enhance local engagement in adventure tourism. The tourism department has also notified rafting stretches from the Shiv Mandir to Kundal. One adventure tour operator has been permitted to operate commercial rafting on this stretch,” Abdullah said.
To promote trekking in the area, the tourism department has identified three tracks of six, seven and 10-day durations, and organised many promotional events to popularise these destinations, he said.
In the annual calendar of events for the promotion of the tourism sector, the department has proposed promotional events at eight religious sites and trekking routes, the chief minister said.
Abdullah also said the government would expand the number of registered homestays to increase quality accommodation options and generate more livelihoods.
“The focus will be on promoting this model in the rural and off-beat areas to enhance tourism while ensuring sustainability and community involvement,” Abdullah said, adding that to incentivise tourism-related business, the government has taken several initiatives aimed at fostering a conducive environment for entrepreneurial ventures across Jammu and Kashmir.
The tourism sector has been given the status of an industry for availing incentives under the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy-2021, he said.
After the announcement of the policy, the industry and commerce department has provided various incentives to the stakeholders, the chief minister added.
On the development of eco-tourism infrastructure in Kishtwar, Abdullah said the initiatives undertaken in the current financial year include the establishment of tent accommodation at Gulabgarh, tendering for the development of public conveniences, signage and kiosks along the Gulabgarh-Machail route and construction of public conveniences and signage at Massu, Kundli, Chichoti and Hamori.
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