Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 21: Minister for Tourism, Ghulam Ahmad Mir has said that Navreh festival symbolizes the virtue of piety and devotion and the age old tradition of celebrating Navreh together by Kashmiri Pandit’s and Muslims in Kashmir symbolizes the bonds of harmony and brotherhood.
Addressing a Navreh Milan function organized by Migrants Coordination Committee Doru-Shahbad here today, the Minister felicitated the Kashmiri Pandits on the eve of new year and highlighted the State’s rich traditions of celebrating festivals together with amity which he said is the hallmark of our glorious cultural ethos. He called for strengthening the diverse culture of the state bonded with love and brotherhood. He hoped that the day would bring joy to all.
Tourism Minister while highlighting the trait of diversity said communal harmony had been the substratum of the pluralistic culture and heritage of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Minister assured the Kashmiri migrants especially belonging from Doru Constituency that all their genuine demands would be taken up with the concerned quarters on priority. He said that due care is being taken to protect the properties of migrants and pilgrim sites.
He said necessary infrastructure at the holy temples in the Constituency would be upgraded for convenience of pilgrims, adding that all the potential spots in the area would also be developed and brought on the tourism map.
Mir said the creation of modern tourist facilities in consonance with environment and ecological requirements is the need of the hour adding that the Government would act as a facilitator for raising tourist infrastructure in the state in joint ventures with investors in PPP and IPP modes.
Calling Jammu and Kashmir as an abode of great religions, Sufis and Saints, the Tourism Minister highlighted the need for showcasing the rich potential of religious tourism of the state all across the world. He said more than one crore yatris visit the Vaishno Devi shrine every year, giving a considerable fillip to the economy of the state. He said, over half a million pilgrims visit the Baba Amarnath Ji every year in Kashmir.
The Tourism Minister underlined the need for diverting pilgrims to other tourist destinations and enhances their stay in the state. He said efforts were on to create attraction for the Vaishno Devi yatris in Jammu city and in its periphery so that tourists visit different areas which would give a boost to trade and economic activities in the region.
A large number of Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims participated in the function and shared their ideas with each other. On the occasion representatives of the organization Ajay Bharti, SomNath Veer, T.K. Raina. Mohan Lal Koul, P.N. Pandit threw lights on Navreh and highlighted their problems. Jyotshi Omkar Nath Shastri also graced the occasion while Desh Rattan of AMCC highlighted the problems of migrants.
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