x

Like our Facebook Page

   
Early Times Newspaper Jammu, Leading Newspaper Jammu
 
Breaking News :   In the Shadows of Raja: “Bou Buttu Bhuta” Redefines Odia Cinema with Spectral Allegory of Rural Struggle | The role of the Anganwadi worker has evolved in tandem | Mental rabies means distance from humans, closeness with dogs | Today, Students must be Empowered to Choose not just what is “Safe,” | Sainik Sahayta Kendra | Under PM Modi’s leadership, J&K emerging as education, innovation hub: LG Sinha | Statehood to J&K: Cong mobilizing support of all 233 opposition Lok Sabha members to mount pressure | Kavinder Gupta assumes charge as Ladakh LG | ‘Want Ladakh to be recognised top tourism destination’ | DGP Prabhat reviews Bhadarwah security | CM Omar interacts with citizens at Raabita office in Srinagar | US designates LeT proxy TRF responsible for Pahalgam attack as terrorist organisation | Fresh batch of over 7,900 pilgrims leaves for holy cave shrine | Ahead of ‘Monsoon Session,’ Rajnath, Shah discuss ‘Operation Sindoor’ with NSA, tri-service chiefs | Truck hits car carrying Amarnath pilgrims, 8 injured | Man killed in Kathua accident | Traffic management committee | ACB arrests JDA official for accepting bribe | IT Deptt enables online utility for ITR-2 filing | CISF achieves record medal haul in 2024-25 | Jammu admin disburses Rs 24. 60 lakh compensation in 1 month | ZPHQ Jammu organises farewell ceremony | Janipur police nabs drug peddler wit 5 grams of heroin substance | Farooq hails Congress for taking up J&K statehood issue | CM Yogi's water conservation drive yields remarkable results in UP | DB upheld acquittal of KZF members | ADGP Armed felicitated DySP (Retd) Surjeet Choudhary | 75th anniversary of NSSO celebrated in Jammu | Dr Andrabi visits Eidgah Srinagar, meets youth delegations | Every disaster a lesson to learn from: CS | Doda police traced out missing lady and re-united with her family | Ramban police organized 'BHAROSA' awareness programmes | Improving infrastructure in lord Krishna's land is priority: Hema Malini | YRS will announce president after 23rd September celebration | APS Akhnoor hosts inspiring felicitation ceremony | Fake social media accounts being used to spark caste tensions, says CM Yogi Adityanath | Kathua police arrests absconder evading arrest | JKAACL organizes plantation campaign | The World Stands with Bharat, A Resounding Blow to Pakistan-Backed Terrorism: Gaurav | CS to kick start Vicharnag Temple renovation work today | NC workers join SBSP | Central University of Jammu organizes "Thursday Mind Meet" | Jammu police gifts selfie point to Akhnoor after national recognition | SKUAST-Jammu organizes ZREAC Kharif meeting | LPU inaugurates Real-World Tech Workplaces at Campus with Capgemini Code Experience Lab | DDC Kathua approves Rs 74.52 Cr District Capex Budget for FY 2025-26 | Bovine smuggling bid foiled by Doda police | First meeting of the 56th IFFI steering committee held in Mumbai | Inter-Nursing College Poster Competition held | Akhnnor Sports Club honours badminton players | India U-31 team wins bronze, U-16 finishes fourth in World Youth Team Bridge Championships | World Women's Chess Cup: All four Indians to play tie-breaks | Jadeja's "incredible fight" at Lord's Test earns him Team India's MVP tag | Free entry for Durand Cup at Jamshedpur | Didn't know that a national women's football team existed when I started out: Aditi Chauhan | Back Issues  
 
news details
Rise Jammu Rise
Brig Anil Gupta10/16/2019 10:22:55 PM
Come 1 November and a new era would dawn. We the people of Jammu will be master of our own destiny and will no longer have the luxury of shifting blame on Kashmir for our ineptitude and failures. The era of discrimination and the days of Kashmiri hegemony will become things of the past. We will be responsible for our successes and failures. For, too long we the people of Jammu have been living with the feeling of subjugation and discrimination, resulting into loss of initiative and the habit of planning our future by ourselves. For all our ills, we grumbled and blamed others but ourselves. But now under the changed circumstances we will have to chart our own future and answerable to our generations for the way we shape their future as well. There will be no hindrance in fulfilling our dreams individual as well as collective. We the people of Jammu will not only have to grab every opportunity but also display a visionary outlook to make Jammu region a prosperous and comfortable place to live and proudly claim to be the best.
Before proceeding further a thorough introspection is needed to determine the reasons for our present state. Was only hegemony and discrimination responsible for our present state? Did we lack something? Did we try to make our region prosperous or were satisfied with status quo most of the times. Did we ever unite to fight collectively for the Dogra heritage and pride? Did we have visionary leadership that could unite the people for common causes? Did we ever think of Jammu region as a whole or were mostly confined to sub-regional loyalties? A truthful answer to most of these will be a "NO".
But it is never too late. Let us pledge to stand on our own feet and develop Jammu region as a model for others to follow. It is assumed that there would be no dearth of funds and Jammu will get its due share after the reorganisation of the state is put into effect. Jammu region has a potential to develop as hubs of pleasure tourism, border tourism, health and recuperation centres, spiritual tourism, boarding schools and heritage tourism. A workable plan to attract tourists to Jammu needs to be formulated.
Jammu region is blessed by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi ji. The holy shrine of the Mata has an annual footfall of over 80 lakh pilgrims. But most of them do not spend much time in the region except a night at Katra, if needed. The need is to convert the pilgrims to tourists by providing them attractive packages to visit nearby places. These would also attract other domestic and international tourists who want to spend their vacations or explore the nature. Border tourism is also a big attraction particularly among the youth. A few suggested packages are:-
lExplore the Natural Beauty. Katra-Mantalai- Sudh Mahadev- Patnitop (night stay)-Patnitop-Bhaderwah (2 night stay)-Udhampur/Jammu
lExplore the heritage of Jammu. Katra-Jammu (night stay)-Visit border belt including Gharana wetlands (night stay Jammu)-Visit historical sites of Akhnoor (night stay Jammu)-Visit Surinsar and Mansar Lakes, Chichi Mata, Sidh Goriya Temple-Jammu (night stay /Departure).
lExplore Pahari Culture - Multi-faith Tourist Circuit. Katra- Shiv Khori-Shadra Sharif-Dera Ki Gali (Night stay)-Bafliaz-Mughal Road- Peer Gali-Bafliaz- Budda Amarnath- Poonch (2night stay)- Chingus-Jammu.
lExplore the unexplored Pirpanjal. 3-7 night adventurous treks to "Marg" (meadows) and "Sar" (Lakes) which nestle in abundance in the Pir Panjal Range in Rajouri and Poonch Districts. Thana Mandi, Darhal, Buddhal and Surankot/Bafliaz could act as the bases for these treks. Enjoying the hospitality of nomadic Gujjars could form an added attraction of this package. This package could be confined to summer months (June-October) only.
The aim should be to develop our region as a tourist attraction for people with varying tastes and provide them un forgetful experiences so that they visit it not only once but make it a regular feature. They could also prove to be best ambassadors to sell the virgin scenic and eye-catching beauty and hospitality of our region. "One time visitors" should become an exception rather than a norm. Effort should also be made to motivate the locals to promote "Home Stay" Concept. In order to achieve all this certain behavioural, organisational and structural changes would be needed. A few suggestions are listed below.
Pride. First of all we will have to develop pride in ourselves. Pride in our heritage, culture and language. This pride should give us the necessary identity which is a must for recognition by others. We will have to keep reminding ourselves that being proud does not mean to be arrogant.
Hospitality. "Atithi Devo Bhav" needs to be imbibed as part of our routine behaviour. We should not only welcome the tourists but also make them feel important. Our hospitality should become a motivating factor for the tourists for a re-visit.
Honesty/Ethics/Morality. Never cheat the tourist. The tourists must develop a blind faith on our society. The current practices of selling duplicate, sub-standard, under-packed and "show something else as sample and pack poor quality" stuff (Rajma, Basmati, Walnuts, Kesar, Kaladi are a few examples) have earned us a bad name. Frequent complaints are received from friends, relatives and acquaintances who have been cheated this way.
We need to be ethical because it defines who we are individually and as a society. These are the norms of behaviour everybody should follow.
We need to distinguish between wrong and right while dealing with the tourists. Overcharging, quarrelling, taunting and use of unparliamentarily language should not be resorted to while dealing with the tourists particularly those who have a language problem and are not able to communicate effectively.
Cleanliness. Cleanliness attracts tourists. To ensure a safe and clean environment a total ban on plastic should be imposed. Otherwise our tourist destinations after a period of time will start degrading. Our rivers and lakes need to be kept neat, clean and garbage free. Suitable garbage disposal mechanisms need to be installed at all potential tourist destinations.
Innovation. Tourism promotion should not be restricted to occasional tourist festivals. Innovative programmes and schemes must be launched to invite and attract the tourists throughout the year. Promotion of tourism should not be left merely to the government departments but must be a combined effort of the trade, tourism industry and government.
Cooperation. There should be complete cooperation between different agencies and stakeholders dealing with the tourists. A seamless chain needs to be developed between the transporters/taxi operators, hoteliers, tour operators, tourism department/ tourist centres, guides, trekking agencies and travel agents. A tourist should not feel harassed by anyone of them.
Skill Development. This would generate employment. Tourism industry, hospitality industry and travel industry requires varied skills. Our youth needs to acquire these skills and the government needs to develop tailor-made Skill Development Centres.
Infrastructure. All our present and potential tourist destinations woefully lack the infrastructure required for housing and travel. Roads needs to be widened, repaired and maintained. Adequate appropriate accommodation for tourists with different budgets needs to be catered for. Tourist destinations need to have parking facilities, washroom and toilet facilities, restaurant, reception centre, souvenir shop and emergency accommodation. Mobile and internet facilities also need to be provided.
Art & Culture. Our region has very rich art & culture which needs to be promoted. Restaurants specialising in local cuisines as well as "Home Stay" hosts need to provide local delicacies.
As far as organisational changes are concerned, a revamping of various Tourism Development Authorities/Boards to make them professional is needed. Regretfully, these have failed to come up to the expectations for which they were established.
I have made an attempt to create awareness about the potential of our region which will help in boosting the economy of our region. More we earn, more we can spend and more and more people would be attracted to our region. This will make us master of our own destinies.
  Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network  
  Comment on this Story  
 
 
 
Early Times Android App
STOCK UPDATE
  
BSE Sensex
NSE Nifty
 
CRICKET UPDATE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Home About Us Top Stories Local News National News Sports News Opinion Editorial ET Cetra Advertise with Us ET E-paper
 
 
J&K RELATED WEBSITES
J&K Govt. Official website
Jammu Kashmir Tourism
JKTDC
Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board
Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board
Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board
UTILITY
Train Enquiry
IRCTC
Matavaishnodevi
BSNL
Jammu Kashmir Bank
State Bank of India
PUBLIC INTEREST
Passport Department
Income Tax Department
JK CAMPA
JK GAD
IT Education
Web Site Design Services
EDUCATION
Jammu University
Jammu University Results
JKBOSE
Kashmir University
IGNOU Jammu Center
SMVDU