Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 6: Hotel and Restaurant Association, Katra delegation led by its president Shyam Lal Kesar and senior vice president Rakesh Wazir met Minister of State for Finance Pawan Gupta and apprised him about the problems being faced by the Tourism Industry in the State.
Kesar while speaking said that Tourism has been declared as industry but till today no major industrial benefits are being provided to it including industrial tariff on power etc.
“Why in the same State different yard sticks are being adopted in comparison to other industries as for as providing of industrial benefits are concerned when economy of our State is dependent on Tourism and tourism is the largest employment generator of our State” he added.
Wazir while speaking laid emphasis on promotion of places of Tourist interest around Katra like Patnitop, Sanasar, Nathatop, Bhaderwah and Shiv Khori.
He added that Tourism Policy by which the people connected with Tourism used to get benefits has been expired and be revived further.
Wazir further said that even after passing of one year of the operation of Katra Railway Station just one daily regular train is started in addition to one or two weekly trains, adding that the pilgrims are facing hardships in absence of extension of trains to Katra and more trains should be extended upto Katra for the promotion of pilgrimage tourism. He stated that the parking lots at Railway Station should be allotted to the cars, taxies and autos so that pilgrims don’t face problems.
Minister gave patient hearing to the issues raised by the delegation and talked to the concerned for most of the items on spot and assured redressal of rest of the items after taking them at appropriate levels.
Among others present were Shiv Kumar Sharma, Virender Kesar, Harish Dubey, Pawan Kumar, Varun Jamwal, etc.
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