July 3rd, Srinagar: Foreign visitor arrivals in Jammu and Kashmir have increased significantly in the UT after the G-20 Tourism Working Group conference in Srinagar, according to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and the number is expected to rise further in the coming months.
He also announced the allocation of five malras of land to landless households in J&K and mentioned that around two lakh homeless families are being housed in the UT under the Prime Minister’s Awas Yojna (Yojna).
According to reporter, Lieutenant Governor said during a press conference at Rajbhawan here that the successful G-20 summit in Srinagar from May 22 to May 25 this year is proving to be a game changer for the tourist industry in J&K. “The G-20 meeting participants returned to their respective countries with a positive message.” We have noticed a huge surge in international visitor arrivals in J&K after the G-20 conference. “The figure is expected to rise further in the coming months,” he added.
In addition, after a lengthy absence, the first six months of the next year saw 15,000 international visitor visits. The majority of international visitors are from South East Asian countries.
The LG went on to say that Srinagar is quickly becoming a centre of international activity. “For the first time, the Indian System of Medicines, Engineer’s Association, Chartered Accountant Association, and 18 Supreme Court judges participated in different meetings in Srinagar recently,” he stated.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the PM Awas Yojna, and that J&K could not follow suit. “Following discussions at the Administrative Council and with the Revenue and Rural Development department, it was decided that 5 malras land would be given to landless families in J&K.” So far, 2711 landless households have been awarded land, with more to follow soon. Similarly, a total of 1,99,550 families have been recognised, and as of June 21, 1,44000 households have been sanctioned, with the remaining families being covered as well,” he stated.
In response to a question on whether West Pakistan refugees were covered by the plan, the LG provided a careful response, adding that there is no caste or religion followed in the scheme. “Correct eligibility criteria are being followed.” “Whoever is eligible is covered,” he said. “It is a revolutionary step to provide land to the landless and homes to the homeless.” When a poor person returns home, he will consider making a wage and putting his children to school, according to the LG. He said that land and residences are exclusively handed to qualified persons in their local Panchayats. “It’s not like someone who is eligible in Anantnag district will be given a home in Samba,” remarked the LG.
He said that the Amarnath Yatra is proceeding successfully on both tracks, with sufficient security preparations.
“There are 4000 sanitary workers who are deployed for trash cleanliness,” he added, adding that one area of worry is tourist and local citizen traffic management, which is being simplified in the next two days. “It is being ensured that locals face the least amount of inconvenience,” the LG stated. When asked whether people are experiencing inconvenience as a result of the VIP movement, the LG said that people are experiencing normality and that more people would experience it in the coming months. “As I previously stated, traffic management will be simplified over the next two days.” A pilgrim visiting Kashmir for the first time is unaware of the timing and hence gets trapped in traffic and is stopped by security authorities on the ground. So a traffic restriction strategy is being developed and will be implemented within the next two days,” he said. In response to a question, the LG said that there were no limits on media coverage of the Amarnath Yatra.
