Senior Officers of Tourism Department, Jammu visit tourist destinations under ‘Jan Abhiyan’ campaign
RAJOURI : As part of the ‘Jan Abhiyan’ initiative recently launched by the government in J&K UT, the senior officers of the Tourism Department, J&K are visiting the Offbeat Tourist Destinations in all districts of J&K which shall continue on daily basis till 26th October, 2022. Under the close supervision of Director Tourism Jammu Vivekananda Rai IRS the Deputy Director Tourism Jammu Abdul Jabbar, alongwith Mr Mumtaz Ahmed, Tourist Officer Rajouri entailed day long field tours to Budhal New & Budhal Old Blocks and culminated the interactive field visits at Kotranka which is a popular tourist destination and among one of the focus ‘Offbeat Destinations’ listed by the Tourism Department in 2021. The said tours have been conducted as a detailed awareness cum sensitization camps in connection with the recently launched ‘Jan Abhiyaan’ campaign which is a precursor to the much awaited Back to Village, Phase 4” programme of the government.
During the day long interactive awareness camps, the Deputy Director Tourism elaborately spoke on the deliverables pertaining to the Tourism Department under Jan Abhiyaan campaign and emphasized that these deliverables are a part of the already ongoing focus of the government to develop and map all the tourist areas with potential of tourism related activities. He laid emphasis on public involvement in identification of new tourist destinations, trekking routes so that the demarcation and delineation of these areas and routes is done with a practical approach and people friendly feasibility. He also assured that all necessary support shall be given to interested persons for their training as a Tourist Guide through the Food Crafts Institute Nagrota and the department shall also hold special training camps for Homestay training so that all interested Homestay proprietors especially at the off beat tourist destinations also get an opportunity for earning livelihood at their own villages and towns.
During his visit to Offbeat Destinations Budhal and Kotranka Deputy Director Tourism Jammu interacted and motivated the local youth to take part in Adventure activities like trekking, mountaineering, rock climbing, water sports activities, development of homestays, formation of cooperatives like tourist guides, tour managers, formation of groups for service sector like local hotels, dhabas, self help groups for selling of local J&K UT famous Rajmash, Honey, Nuts, Apples as it will boost local economy along expansion of tourism potential in the area. The local treks along tourist attractive areas like Smart Sar(Lake), Kalhad, Saveri Marg, Dasoi, Nambal, Gabber, Bathan, Gambri, Rich Bagla, Nangathub, Shiv Gufa Budhal of Budhal offBeat Destination and at Kotranka Kohri Hill, Kesari Hill, Patli Qila, Sankh, Dalyani, Marg, Dakhyar Peak were discussed in detail as these areas have immense Tourism potential.
Tourism Officers also educated the local community participants to maintain close relationship with the Government Departments for availing benefits of the schemes available with various Departments. It was also discussed to maintain ecological balance and practice sustainable Tourism to keep the environment in and around all the destinations pollution free. The local community was also explained and highlighted for potential in expansion of tourism activities of adventure, leisure, Eco tourism, Winter Tourism.
Prominent among the attendees who were present at Budhal and Kotranka were BDC Budhal Ms Shamim Akhtar, Sarpanch Nazir Mohammad, Mohd Shabir, Sarpanch, Munshi Ram, Manzoor Naik , Badar Malik, Jeet Raj, Rakesh Kumar, Mohd Nawaz, Karamt Ullah, Rommi Kumar, Ghani Ram among others were present and interacted with the visiting officers.