UDHAMPUR: Reminding the promise made with the people, ex-MLA and NPP State President Balwant Singh Mankotia asked the government to develop Krimchi-Mansar as tourist model village. He reiterated that State Government decided to develop tourist model villages in Jammu and Kashmir with the consent of Central Government and unfortunately State Government has kept this project in cold store.
Addressing a rally at Krimchi of Udhampur district, Mankotia recalled that in 2005 State Government forwarded a proposal to develop this as tourist model village in State with the consent of Central Government. State Government forwarded a proposal to develop Krimchi-Mansar as tourist model village in State and after passage of 13 years, not a single step has been taken in this regard.
He further blamed that deliberately the proposal forwarded to fetch the tourists at these places has been kept in cold store and these spots are waiting for the tourists despite Krimchi-Mansar have vast eco- friendly tourism potential with green meadows and water bodies.
Mankotia claimed that more than one crore tourist arrived in Jammu province and less than ten lackh tourist visit Kashmir Valley with a major share of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine devotees, besides Shiv Khori, Shudh Mahadev and other religious places.
Unfortunately 90 per cent funds are utilised in Kashmir region for promotion of tourism while Jammu region gets only peanuts for development of tourism sector resulting into non-development of tourist spots in Jammu region which are more beautiful than Kashmir region and are under developed, regretted Mankotia. Mankotia asked the State Government to develop Krimchi-Mansar as tourist model village and fulfill the promise made with the people of this region.