Jammu, Aug 23: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Wednesday stated that J&K registered a growth of 59 percent in the influx of foreign tourists since the successful conduct of G20 meeting (in Srinagar).
He made these remarks in his address while laying the foundation stone for the restoration of the holy shrine of Shiv Khori this afternoon through virtual mode from Raj Bhawan.
Reference was to the third G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting held in Srinagar from May 22 to 24 this year.
“Successful conduct of the G20 Summit has spread a positive message not just across India but the whole world as well. After the successful culmination of G20 (meeting), till date while we were analysing the statistics, we noticed that the influx of foreign tourists registered a growth of 59 percent,” he said.
“So I feel that it (successful conduct of G20 meeting) has also reversed the trend vis-à-vis skeletal traffic of foreign tourists. The trend that the foreign tourists had stopped visiting J&K, has changed and now an increase has been registered in the number (of foreign tourists’ arrival) here,” LG Sinha said.
He asserted that the J&K administration was doing its best to promote tourism in Jammu province. “We are making all out efforts to develop better infrastructure to optimise tourism potential of different tourists’ attractions, be it Surinsar, Mansar or Bhaderwah; with a push to development influx at these places. Avowed objective is to promote tourism in Jammu province,” the Lieutenant Governor remarked.
He said that recently he got an opportunity to visit and pay obeisance at Machail Mata shrine.
“We will try to ensure that facilities for pilgrims there (at Machail Mata shrine) also get enhanced and better infrastructure is put in place, the way it has been done in case of Baba Amarnath Yatra. If you notice it carefully, the number of pilgrims who visited Shri Amarnath shrine this year was the maximum in the past 13 years or so. The way seamless arrangements were made by the J&K administration for the Yatra this year, it earned praise from all across the country,” he said.
“I would like to make a fervent appeal to the local inhabitants (of Reasi) to contribute their bit to maintain the (Shiv Khori) shrine and run its affairs smoothly to earn Baba’s (Lord Shiva’s) blessings. Shivkhori Shrine Board chairman Ramesh Kumar will ensure that those local persons, who are interested to be part of its affairs, are also associated with the Board in future. Purpose is to expand the activities of Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board on the lines of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB),” LG Sinha stated.
He said he was told that last year, 20 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at Shri Shiv Khori shrine. “After the completion of this (renovation) work, I believe that the influx of pilgrims will reach more than 50 lakh after four years. I’ll also visit in person as and when Baba Bhole Nath summons me there,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
