Gulmarg, Sept 8 (KNS): Tourism Secretary Buvnesh Kumar on Monday reviewed the functioning of the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM) here and said three new tourism projects for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are in the pipeline.

Kumar visited the institute and held discussions with officials and tourism authorities on its upgradation, expansion and utilisation throughout the year.

“Today's meeting was mainly to discuss how to improve IISM. There are some difficulties. Apart from the Principal, there is no staff here. We also want to expand it,” Kumar told KNS.

He said an MoU has been signed with Kargil to start ski training there, utilising the available slopes.

“Today's achievement is that an MoU has been signed with Kargil where there are slopes. We will start ski training there as well,” he said.

The Tourism Secretary said discussions were also held on making IISM operational throughout the year, including through training programmes for guides and instructors.

On Centrally Sponsored projects, Kumar said issues concerning old projects of the Jammu and Kashmir government supported by the Centre were discussed, including the release of funds.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

“Three new projects have been agreed upon, for which we will give approval. One project is related to Jammu division, one to Kashmir division and one to Ladakh. All three are different projects. Their proposal will be submitted and we will approve it from there,” he said.

Kumar said tourism-related activities have a direct impact on employment generation, as they require local participation across sectors.

“All tourism-related activities have a direct impact on employment generation. Whether we start skiing activity here or other activities, we need local people for all of them. And those who come to stay in hotels, in homestays everyone gets work generated,” he said.

SSP Baramulla, CEO Gulmarg Development Authority, SDPO Gulmarg and senior officials of the Tourism Department were present during the interaction.(KNS)