Efforts afoot to boost tourism in Kashmir's virgin areas

Gool (Jammu & Kashmir) [India], Dec. 13 (ANI): Minister of State for Education, Tourism and Horticulture, Priya Sethi has said that the state government is making concerted efforts to give boost to tourism sector, which is the mainstay of the economy. She said yesterday that several steps are underway for the upgradation of infrastructure at various tourist resorts according to the needs of the tourists. Addressing a public meeting at Gool, a tehsil in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, Sethi assured that all important historical tourist sites in the area, especially Ghora Gali and Tata Pani, will be appropriately developed and brought onto the tourist map. She said these sites have huge tourism potential and authorities will undertake due exercise for their exploration. During her visit to Ghora Gali, an area having rare sculptures of the Mahabharata era carved out of stones, she inspected the site and evinced keen interest in the antique valuables and said that every effort will be made to preserve the site as a cultural heritage. She said efforts will be made to link this historic site with road to make it accessible for the tourists. Responding to the issues of upgradation of fruit nurseries at Sangaldan and Gool, Sethi disclosed that instructions have already been passed to the concerned authorities for releasing funds for the same. The district administration will be geared up for holding camps for promoting exotic fruits in the hilly belts, she said. (ANI)