“Even the outsourcing of civic facilities by the municipalities in towns has not reduced the intensity of rising unemployment in any area of Kashmir valley”.
Amid an optimistic outlook about the tourist arrivals, development of tourist infrastructure and industrial investment the unemployment of youth remains the core concern of the people in Jammu & Kashmir. Irrespective of unprecedented rise in the tourist arrivals the local economy has not got the boost it should have got and as such measures for boosting the economy of the local populations particularly youth demands and deserve greater attention and intervention of the government. Though the boost to home stay tourism has generated new opportunities of livelihoods for the local youth at tourist places across Kashmir but it has not reduced the increasing unemployment to the entire satisfaction of the local populations particularly the youth in Kashmir Valley. Even the outsourcing of civic facilities by the municipalities in towns has not reduced the intensity of rising unemployment in any area of Kashmir valley. Despite all efforts the home stay tourism is yet to become fully an all weather economic activity in Jammu & Kashmir. For all practical purposes the home stay tourism can’t become an all weather economic activity for the people in Kashmir Valley or Jammu till the time Government upgrades infrastructural facilities and improves civic facilities to the entire satisfaction of tourists at least at key tourist hotspots both in Kashmir Valley and as well as Jammu division. Though with the completion of four lane Jammu-Srinagar highway and Udhampur-Baramulla train track by the fag end of the current year or beginning of the new year the hassle free transport services to tourists would lead to further surge in tourist arrivals and also change Kashmir into an all weather tourist destinations but still the travel to some of the tourist places would be irritating for the tourist due to bad condition of the link roads.
“Though there is enough scope for increasing the employment avenues in tourism sector in Jammu & Kashmir but ultimately surge in tourist activities always triggered by the quality tourist services proves detrimental for the growth of economic activities and henceforth also the employment avenues in any tourist area and same holds good for Jammu & Kashmir. Since upgrading the travel and tourist facilities for the purposes of changing Kashmir into an all weather tourist destination is one of the biggest measures Government can take to increase the employment opportunities in tourism sector and reduce the rising unemployment among local youth, the bigger challenge before the government in the coming summer months would be the promotion of tourist and travel facilities in Jammu & Kashmir”.
Fortunately the incumbent Chief Secretary has at his maiden review meeting of the PWD(R&B) department directed resurfacing and macadamisation of all the roads connecting Srinagar and many district headquarters with top tourist places in Kashmir. Though there is enough scope for increasing the employment avenues in tourism sector in Jammu & Kashmir but ultimately surge in tourist activities always triggered by the quality tourist services proves detrimental for the growth of economic activities and henceforth also the employment avenues in any tourist area and same holds good for Jammu & Kashmir. Since upgrading the travel and tourist facilities for the purposes of changing Kashmir into an all weather tourist destination is one of the biggest measures Government can take to increase the employment opportunities in tourism sector and reduce the rising unemployment among local youth, the bigger challenge before the government in the coming summer months would be the promotion of tourist and travel facilities in Jammu & Kashmir.
