Srinagar, Feb 17: The Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHARA) has expressed hope that the forthcoming union/state budgets would address the issues of the Valley tourism industry earnestly.
 The hoteliers had raised various issues the Valley tourism industry is confronting with the 13 Finance Commission during its visit here, and with the state finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather at a pre-budget meeting. “We hope our pleas would be duly considered,” association president Siraj Ahmad said.
 “The tourism industry particularly the Hotel and Restaurant segment in the Valley has been reeling under severe crisis for the last about two decades, as a result of which people associated with this industry have suffered immense financial and business losses. We urge both the centre as well as the state governments to give focussed attention to the plight of the Tourism Industry of the valley,” he said.
 Maintaining that the Valley had been on the receiving end of the tumultuous situations in the state consistently for the last two decades, the association has demanded that the two governments should announce in the budgets some Valleys-specific sops.
 "The valley of Kashmir has faced the brunt and suffered unimaginable losses during the last two decades, with its tourism sector becoming the worst victim, but it is unfortunate that whenever any package/incentive is given, Valley is ignored or it does not receive as per the proportion it deserves,” it said.
 “On the one hand government claims tourism to be a priority sector, but on the other it shows apathy towards this sector which can generate huge employment,” it said.
 “If the government is really committed to equitable development of all the regions of the state, justice demands that the region that has suffered the most should receive more benefit,” it said.
 “Unless the governments both at the centre and in the state, come forward with a clear comprehensive policy and package of relief to the tourism sector particularly Hotel and Restaurant Industry of the Valley, its commitment to equitable development is mere slogan,” it said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 IST