JAMMU: Development and expansion of the tourism sector is the key for prosperity of any region. Tourism is considered as a leading industry in the service sector at the global level. It is viewed as new wave of economic opportunity as it acts as a major job generating sector.
This was the observation of former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla while addressing party workers in Preet Nagar area of Gandhi Nagar Constituency where women in large numbers participated highlighting their inability in managing cost of kitchen as all the household items getting away from their reach with every passing day.
The women of Gandhi Nagar Constituency briefed Bhalla that they have been forced by Government with their policies and programmes to struggle for even basic items as there is no one to attend to their grievances. Bhalla said that it is unfortunate on part of Coalition Government to ignore all the vital sectors in State particularly he regretted the scenario of tourism sector in State.
Bhalla blamed that since Coalition Govt has assumed the power in State, it never said any word about augmentation of Jammu region tourism. He said the tourist spots of Jammu region are lying unattended.
“Tourism projects like Patnitop, Sanasar, Mahamaya Gandola project, Artificial Lake on Tawi River, Mansar, Purmandal, Lal Draman, Bhadarwah and several others in Poonch Rajouri Districts have been left halfway. There is no development work going on in Jammu region,” he said.
Bhalla castigated Jammu region MLAs, some of whom are holding ministerial berths in the Coalition State Government for remaining as mute spectators to the hierarchy of government. He appealed to the Jammu based MLAs to be live to the situation and fight for the rights of Jammu people who have posed hope in them and sent them to the State Legislative Assembly.
Bhalla said that government has failed to take required initiatives to develop the city on modern lines and several mega projects either have been halted or moving on at snail’s pace. He said Mubarak Mandi heritage project, artificial lake on Tawi River, Cable Car Project are among the major projects which have been ignored by Coalition Government as approach of government towards these highly ambitious projects is quite half hearted so far. He said Mubarak Mandi Heritage Project is one such ambitious project which aims to develop the complex into a major tourist spot of the region.