Secy Tourism reviews functioning of Tourism Deptt/TDAs at Jammu

Jammu : Secretary, Tourism, Sarmad Hafeez on Wednesday reviewed the functioning of the Directorate of Tourism, Jammu as well as Tourism Development Authorities (TDAs) of Jammu Division in a high level meeting here.
During the meeting, Secretary Tourism extensively reviewed the CAPEX Budget, PMDP projects, PMRP projects, establishment of tented colonies, Home stay, wayside amenities, installation of signages and ease of doing business of the Directorate of Tourism, Jammu as well as Tourism Development Authorities.
While reviewing the progress on ongoing projects being executed under different schemes, the Secretary impressed upon the officers to ensure that the works tendered/ allotted under CAPEX, PMDP, PMRP Budgets of the Directorate and Tourism Development Authorities should be completed in a time bound manner with proper planning and regular site visit by the executing agencies. He emphasized upon the officers that allotted funds to the Directorate and Tourism Development Authorities should be utilized to its optimum level for which report should be submitted to the higher authorities on monthly basis.
While highlighting about different initiatives of Administration, Sarmad said that administration is making availability of rooms through Home-Stay Cluster for which Government has fixed a target to pitch 15000 number of tented accommodations across J&K (8000 in Kashmir Division and 7000 in Jammu Division) by 15th August, 2022 with handholding of the of the local inhabitants/NGOs. He asked the officers to facilitate the aspiring youth for establishing home stay clusters.
The Secretary emphasized upon the officers that the registration process for Home Stays should be eased out as more and more people are coming forward for registrations under the scheme, which will create employability avenues for them. He asked the officers to display the list of home stay colonies/tented clusters prominently at all the tourist places across Jammu division like Surinsar, Mansar, Patnitop, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri, Bani-Basohli, Lakhanpur-Sarthal and others for facilitation of intending visitors/tourists.
Secretary Tourism also asked the officers to ensure that the flex hoardings/signages are displayed enroute the tourist destinations across Jammu Division and asked the officers to tap the monsoon season by planning to celebrate some kind of festivals at prominent tourist destinations. He asked the directorate of tourism to collaborate with JKTDC to come up with a local cuisine festival and also plan adventure activities at the tourist destinations in the coming days.
In the meanwhile, Secretary Tourism also took a meeting with representatives of Hotel and Travel Trade Associations of Jammu Division who put several demands and suggestions before him like ease of doing business with regard to registration and renewal of units like Hotel/Travel Agencies, modalities to permit the Travel Agencies to pick and drop their guests at Jammu Airport and Railway Station, Jammu, among others.
While interacting with them, the Secretary assured that them that all the genuine demands from all quarters will be addressed on priority.
The meeting among others was attended by Special Secretary Tourism, Director Finance Tourism Department, Director Planning, Tourism Department, Chief Executive Officer, Surinsar Mansar Development Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Poonch Development Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Bani Bashol Development Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Bhaderwah Development Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Billawar Duggan Development Authority and other senior officers of the Department.