Srinagar: On the day 2 of G20 meeting, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said that Jammu and Kashmir had to suffer for the last 30 years due to the state sponsored terrorism from the neighbouring country.
The high profile third G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting- being attended by around 60 foreign delegates from G20 countries – kicked off in Srinagar on Monday amid unprecedented security. The three day G20 meet, is the first major international event in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019, when the erstwhile state’s special status was scrapped and it became a Union Territory.
Addressing the delegates during the inaugural session of the third G20 Tourism Working Group working group meeting being held at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) Srinagar, the Lt Governor without naming Pakistan said the terror eco-system which thrived with
the support from across the border has been isolated through development works by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
“For almost 30 years, this land of peaceful co-existence of almost all religious sects had to suffer state sponsored terrorism by our neighbouring country,” he said. “ However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji through development schemes that empowers masses and Union Territory’s effective administration, isolated the terror eco-system which thrived with the support from across the border.”
The Lt Governor said Jammu Kashmir is witnessing a new era that has opened limitless possibilities of growth and peace.
“Now even foreign investments are also coming into Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
J&K Lieutenant Governor said that Jammu & Kashmir will soon find its place in the top 50 destinations in the world and it will be on the travel bucket list of global travelers.
He also invited people of the world to visit Jammu and Kashmir.
“I am confident, under the leadership of Prime Minister Jammu Kashmir will soon find its place in the top 50 destinations in the world and it will be on the travel bucket list of global travellers,” the Lt Governor observed.
“Through this (G20) empowered gathering, I invite the world to Jammu Kashmir. Give us a chance to host you and, for you, to know us. Come, enjoy and rejuvenate yourself,” he said.
He said a record number of 18 million tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in the last year and the tourism sector made a 7 percent contribution to the GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
Sinha said 300 new destinations have been identified to promote green tourism in Jammu and Kashmir and small & medium enterprises, youth and women entrepreneurs and involve local communities to support the sustainable tourism.
He said the tourism sector in Jammu Kashmir has been accorded the status of Industry and all fiscal incentives as per our Industrial Policy.
The Lt Governor said he was truly delighted that under India’s G20 Presidency, the G20 tourism working group is focusing on five inter- connected priority areas that will provide a roadmap for tourism as a tool for achieving sustainable development goals.
”It’s encouraging for us to share that Jammu and Kashmir is already working on a few of the priority areas identified by the G20 Tourism Working Group like on Green Tourism, Skills, Tourism MSMEs and Digitalization,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said that after a long pause of almost 4-decades, they have revived the relationship with Bollywood and launched a film policy in 2021 to attract more investment into the film sector and to make Jammu Kashmir the most popular film shooting destination.
He said Jammu Kashmir stands among the developed regions of India on some measurable milestones, and are committed for people’s prosperity both economically and socially.
“The world can see that the entire society, especially the young generation, is scripting a bright future for themselves and the nation. The speed and scale of rapid development in Jammu Kashmir are awe-inspiring,” Sinha said.
“Our speed to execute infrastructure projects has gone up almost 10 times. In the last financial year, we have completed 92,560 projects.This achievement is a testimony to our resolve of peace and prosperity and making all our citizens equal partners in this journey of growth”, he added.
During the inaugural session Union Tourism Minister, G. Kishan Reddy; Union MoS Jitendra Singh; Union MoS Ajay Bhatt; G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant; G20 Chief Coordinator, Harsh Vardhan Shringla; delegates of G20 nations, invitees from observer countries and representatives from various multilateral organisations were present.
