Srinagar, May 27 (KNS): Congress leader Kadfeen Choudhary on Wednesday has demanded relief package for the people associated with Kashmir’s tourism sector, terming the losses faced by them amid the ongoing lockdown as massive and immitigable.
In a statement issued to KNS, Kadfeen said that the COVID 19 threat and the subsequent lockdown has plunged the one time thriving tourism sector of Kashmir into perturbation, leaving hoteliers, travel operators, artisans, and people associated with the field jobless in droves. He demanded that there should be announcement of comprehensive package for the people associated with the tourism sector in Kashmir so that they aren’t pushed to the uncertain times any further.
There are at present 4 lac, 25 thousand people directly dependent upon tourism in Kashmir, he said, adding they include owners and employees at local hotels, houseboats, guest houses, restau¬rant dormitories, dak-bungalows, holiday inns and tent houses directly associated with the tourism business in Kashmir.
Further, there are 21 lac people who are indirectly dependent on Kashmir’s tourism. They include pony-keepers, taxi drivers shikarawalas, helpers, tourist guides, shopkeepers, vendors, and fruit sellers In total an estimated number of 25 people are in Kashmir whose livelihood is directly and indirectly dependent on tourist flow in Kashmir. Handicrafts sector have a strong base for employment generation in Kashmir. There is a large number of Kashmir’s population dependent on this sector. As per the government records, there are 507372 establishments in the state and there are 1084295 artisans throughout the state consisting of 594090 (55%) hired and 490205 (45.21%) not hired workers. The male workers are 81.34% and the female workers are 18.66% in the state. It includes Carpets, Woolen shawls and Paper Machie which are mostly sold to the tourists who come to Kashmir. It provides employment to 58 percent of population in Kashmir both directly and indirectly.(KNS)