Mubashir Aalam Wani
New Delhi, Jun 27 : President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said Kashmir Valley has given a befitting reply to the enemies of India by breaking all records of voter turnout of many decades in the recently held Lok Sabha polls.
Addressing a joint session of the parliament, the President said that Kashmir Valley broke all records of voter turnout of many decades.
“In the last four decades, we had witnessed low voter turnout amidst shutdowns and strikes in Kashmir,” she said, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
She said that enemies of India continued to spread false propaganda at global forums and projected low voter turnout as an opinion of Jammu & Kashmir.
“But this time the Kashmir Valley has given a befitting reply to every such element within the country and outside,” she said.
In the recently held Lok Sabha polls, Jammu & Kashmir witnessed its highest poll participation in the last 35 years. The voter turnout for the entire Union Territory was 58.46 percent. In Kashmir Valley, the overall voter turnout was 50.86 percent. The poll participation percentage witnessed 30 points jump from the last Lok Sabha election in 2019 where it was 19.16 percent. She said the Constitution has also fully come into force in Jammu and Kashmir where the conditions were different due to Article 370.
On August 5, 2019, the Government of India abrogated Article 370, paving the way for full implementation of the Constitution of India in J&K—(KNO)
Two-day Tourism Development Conclave concludes
Govt’s Motive is to Promote Offbeat Destinations of Kashmir in a Sustainable Manner: Director Tourism; Amitabh Kant Calls for Collaboration with Travel Writers, Operators to Promote Kashmir
Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Jun 27 (KNO): Director Tourism Kashmir Raja Yaqoob said the government is targeting to promote offbeat tourist destinations of Kashmir in a sustainable manner.
While speaking to the media after the culmination of two-day Tourism Development Conclave at SKICC, Yaqoob, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the event was aimed at promoting the tourism of Jammu and Kashmir at a massive level.
“The government is going to take some positive steps. The government is trying to promote offbeat destinations in a very sustainable manner. We will come out with a. roadmap to promote some more offbeat destinations apart from Gulmarg and Pahalgam,” he said.
He said they witnessed an amazing response from various stakeholders at the conclave. “We had G20 Sherpa Shri Amitabh Kant, national travel heads and many dignitaries in the panel,” Yaqoob said.
He said they have taken the viewpoint of the panelists and will implement them to promote tourism of Jammu and Kashmir.
“The domestic stakeholders shared their views and we will involve them to promote tourism of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Meanwhile, the concluding day of tourism development conclave 2024 witnessed insightful discussions and strategic deliberations aimed at revitalizing tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.
G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, chaired multiple panel sessions focusing on diverse aspects of tourism development.
He underscored the need for creating transformative experiences in Kashmir, highlighting its shift towards experiential tourism in domains such as adventure, cultural heritage, and eco-tourism.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by the industry but expressed optimism about overcoming them through concerted efforts.
On the Occasion Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, emphasized Kashmir’s enduring strength in hospitality and the imperative to address issues like overcharging and cheating to enhance visitor experiences and encourage repeat tourism.
The conclave also spotlighted niche tourism segments such as adventure tourism, pilgrimage circuits and eco-tourism with presentations from Saleem Beg, former DG Tourism and discussions on sustainability led by the Tourism Department J&K. Participants included prominent figures such as Padma Shri Ajeet Bajaj of Snow Leopard Adventure, Rajiv Mehra, President of IATO, and Anuradha Goyal, Travel Blogger and Writer, underscoring a commitment towards promoting Kashmir as a diverse and enriching tourist destination.
In his concluding remarks, Amitabh Kant urged upon the tourism department to collaborate with travel writers and operators to showcase Kashmir’s unique offerings and transform global perceptions of the region—(KNO)
