Srinagar, Dec 22 (KNS): Hoteliers Club J&K on Friday met Chief Secretary J&K Atal Dulloo and submitted a memorandum of demands which according to the Club is of grave nature and needs immediate attention of higher authorities for early resolution.
Mentor Hoteliers Club J&K Mushtaq Chaya while pointing out the issues drew attention of Chief Secretary that several issues are in the queue that needs prioritize attention at your level which include registrations of Hotels/Restaurants already set up at different tourist destinations; permissions for repairs and renovations of existing properties; promotion of tourism in and across the country; industrial Incentives for Service Sector/Hotel Industry; and preference to local entrepreneurs for setting up of new projects.
"Tourism has the highest potential to generate employment for millions of people educated, uneducated, artisans, transporters, manufactures and everyone but at the same time is fragile if no timely and much needed attention is paid. Tourism is also subservient to peace and in the past this Industry has suffered a lot. Thanks to the timely initiatives and efforts of Central and State Governments that peace has prevailed and tourism has picked up a lot. This has resulted influx of local and foreign tourists to visit the places of attraction and also pilgrimage tourism is receiving a significant boost," memorandum reads.
It reads, "The people of Jammu and Kashmir with this peaceful atmosphere are now involved only in developmental activities which are presently at its peak and needs further nourishment with your august hands. Sir all efforts of the Government would be result oriented only when modern day infrastructure and facilities are available at the tourist destinations. Besides creation of infrastructure in accordance with the demand and world class standards at these tourist destinations, there is need to upgrade the existing old infrastructure to give an aesthetic look which is presently in a very shabby condition".
"We are proud that under the able leadership of our Prime Minister we landed on moon and modernized our working in almost all spheres in the country but our State is lagging behind. We are not able to get permission even for face lifting, repairs, renovation, paint work, or replace the snow damaged roofs/rusty GC sheets of our existing properties in our most popular tourist destinations. With this state of affairs, apathy and negative approach, the condition of the existing properties has become deplorable. In some parts of the country and across, there is a single window system which has proved a key to the development of infrastructure and here in our State we have to go pillar to post to seek permissions and sanctions. Even the legitimate properties ready for conducting business after constructions are getting deteriorated as the Registrations are pending since years. The entrepreneurs who have spent precious part of their life, earnings, loans etc. raised from the financial institutions on such constructions are getting buried in the problems day after day when there are no commercial operations and returns which they were expecting," it said.
It further reads, "For revival of Industrial Sector which includes tourism in the UT, Government of India have announced and promulgated various time bound schemes/incentives to benefit the existing infrastructure and to pave out way for the investors to set up their employment generating units/projects. The schemes clearly envisage direct benefits to the entrepreneurs in the shape of incentives by way of bank interest subsidy and tax subsidies but the beneficiaries are no way in a position to avail the benefits because of hectic and time consuming process of cases. After completion of projects the registrations by the concerned departments has become vulnerable and the cases are pending since long for one or the other reason. This needs immediate attention at your level sir so that the benefits of the schemes of the Government are availed of by the entrepreneurs within the prescribed time limits".
"The policy of the Government is to invite investors for setting up of projects in manufacturing, horticulture, agriculture, tourism etc. sectors to create more and more avenues of employment for poverty alleviation of the people and overall development of the State, we appreciate this gesture, but at the same time preference needs to be given to the local entrepreneurs who have the knowhow and resources for setting up of such projects in the State. Sir to get 100% results of the schemes the Government is introducing for the betterment and development of the people of the State from time to time, we need your help to ensure its monitoring and implementation at all levels in such a way so that the denial of benefits may not be due to delay in disposal of cases," it added.(KNS)