JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir will be the best location to host events during the G20 summit, Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta said on Friday, asserting that the Union Territory did not witness a "single strike" (hartal) in the past one-and-a-half years as the security situation had improved.
He added that the Union Territory witnessed an all-time-high tourist footfall this year.
"The situation has improved a lot in Jammu and Kashmir and it is worth noting that for the last one-and-a-half years not a single strike has been observed in the Union Territory," Mehta told a central delegation during deliberations over hosting G20 events here.
He also said crime was very low in Jammu and Kashmir.
"The tourist flow has been at an all-time high this year. Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a record footfall of 1.62 crore tourists since January 2022, the highest in 75 years of Independence," Mehta said.
He added that the Union Territory was going to be the best location to host events during the G20 summit. Mehtra also said the visiting delegates would leave with mesmerising experiences.
Highlighting Union Territory's breathtaking environment and highly-conducive climate to host such events, Mehta said the infrastructure had also been upgraded to a large extent during the past few years and was up to the mark for holding international events.
The chief secretary assured the delegation that the best possible arrangements would be put in place and delegates would find an opportunity to witness the rich cultural diversity of Jammu and Kashmir.
He also highlighted the arrangements such as hotel accommodation, protocol, city sprucing, transport, Internet connectivity, medical facilities, arrangements at airports, training of staff members and other branding strategies in place.
The Group of 20 or G20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies.
India will assume the presidency of the grouping for a year on December 1 and chair over 200 meetings that aim to secure global economic growth and prosperity.