Srinagar, Jan 14 (PTI) Opposition National Conferencetoday said tourism in Jammu and Kashmir was in "severedistress" and asked Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to lookbeyond "elitism" to revive the sector.
NC spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu said the tourism sectorin the state remained "vision-less and direction-less" whilethe chief minister "splurges in private galas and tours".
"Recurring splurges by the chief minister and hergovernment, including private-guest galas and private tours intimes of a severe, unprecedented tourism distress in the stateis unbecoming, utterly insensitive and shameful, especially inlight of a complete lack of vision to resuscitate the tourismsector," Mattu said in a statement here.
Mattu said the previous NC-led governments focused onasset and infrastructure creation in the tourism sector whichwas missing under the current PDP-BJP regime.
"..and remains invested in being directed and guided by afew rich, influential and powerful businessmen who decide oneverything ranging from high-level transfers, to allocations,permissions," the NC spokesperson said.
Terming the direct chopper services from Srinagar toGulmarg and Pahalgam as "elitist", he said it was a proof ofthe chief minister's "disconnect and lack of insight".
"Overwhelming majority of tourism inflow into Kashmircomes from the middle-class and working-class segments whoneed to be attracted to the state through comparative-cost-incentives, affordable services, good road connectivity and awide spectrum of lodging options," he said.
Mattu asked the state government to involve houseboatowners, small-and-medium level hoteliers, shikara-wallahs andpony-wallahs in such tourism promotion initiatives, whichwould boost their business "rather than making the rich evenricher".
Mattu said the state stood at the brink of "economicrecession" and is in need of drastic measures.
"The government needs to get its act together before it'stoo late," he said. PTI SSB HMBCHT.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.