HRAK,HRICJR delegation calls on Secretary Tourism, emphasised for increasing the stay of Vaishnodevi pilgrims
Jammu, Mar.15,23: A joint delegation of Hotel & Restaurant Association, Katra ( HRAK ) & Federation of Hotels, Restaurants, Industry & Commerce of Jammu Region comprising of President HRAK & HRICJR Rakesh Wazir, Chairman HRAK Sham Lal Kesar, Sr.Vice President HRAK Virender Kesar, & others called on newly appointed Secretary Culture & Tourism Dr.Syeed Abid Rasheed Shah, wherein Director Tourism, Jammu Vivekanad Rao, Joint Director Tourism Sunaina Sharma Mehta, Special Secretary Tourism Amarjeet Singh was also present, apprised him with regard to various issues related to Tourism Industry and Hotel industry in particular.
Mr.Wazir while speaking on the occasion emphasized that the need of the hour is to increase the stay of 1.00 crore visiting Vaishnodevi pilgrims and for that places of Tourist interest around Katra especially Shiv Khori, Patnitop, Natha Top, Sanasar, Bhaderwah, Mansar, Surinsar, Kol Kandoli, Deva Mai, etc. are needed to be developed. He gave the example of Mansar lake which is in the worst condition, and whose basic infrastructure including its platforms in the lake, pathway around it, water which used to be full and is being diverted to other areas and as a result its level went down and other facilities have rather deteriorated than what those were 40 years back and needed to be developed.
He said that All Industrial benefits need to be extended to Tourism Sector as well including Power to hotels at par with Industrial rates, GST reimbursement to hotels on the pattern of the manufacturing Industry, development of non polluting Industrial parks around Katra and especially related to the products linked to Vaishnodevi ji pilgrimage and especially of the products whose raw material is available around Katra like Ayurvedic products, Chavan Prash, Packed Vaishnodevi ji Parsads, Local pickles, Masalas, Packed Honey, Vaishnodevi ji Patkas, Jute bags, Vaishnodevi ji photographs, etc.
Mr.Shyam lal Kesar apprised that registration of Hotels,Guest Houses is being done by Tourism department right from the Time the Tourism Department came into existence and always while registering a Hotel ,Guest House the only thing which was seen whether the Hotel / Guest House is sellable and is in good condition and tourist can stay in it or not and that is the only reason that government came with an incentive policy,even where people were encouraged and were given subsidies to convert their homes even as paying Guest Houses and never asked for different NOCs from different departments while doing registration or renewal of Hotels / Guest Houses ,Paying Guest Houses etc.but all of sudden we are observing that people down the line in the department has stopped registration and renewals of Tourism units ( Hotels/Guest Houses ) on one pretext or the other whereas in Industries department even the registration is done once and no renewal is required thereafter and requested that when whole Union Territory of J&K is moving towards ease of doing business and when hotels have come under Department of Industries and that department is doing their registration and likewise giving all benefits also,in those circumstances in the intrest of ease of doing business the system of dual registrations is not advisable and should be dispensed with and the registration of Hotels,Guest Houses etc. be left with Department of Industries only and if need be on the pattern of Industries Deaprtment which have come up with Government order No.50-IND of 2021 dated 10.03.2021 wherein the Registration is done away and business establishments are asked to take simple voluntary registration under Udhyam only and the same system should be adopted by department of Tourism as well.
Mr.Virender Kesar said that different departments are independent and have vast independent powers and requested that those departments be allowed to function as independent identities and that the department should not act on their behalf.
He said that the Tourism department should utilize its full energies in developing the Tourism sector in the Union Territory including publicizing of places of Tourist interest and exploring new destinations in the Union Territory besides bringing more and more Tourists to the UT so that the Tourism industry is already crawling may flourish and may not die down and should ease out from registrations and that should be done like is being done in Industries where simple self-registration on Udhyam is done and no other registration is required.
Mr.Rasheed listened to the delegation patiently and assured that sympathetic consideration will be given to each and every point raised in the meeting and the points which pertains to him will be done immediately and the points which pertain to higher/other Authorities will be taken up with them.
