Early Times Report
Kishtwar, Feb 25: Promoting adventure tourism in Jammu region, Minister for Tourism, Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Monday inaugurated four days long international rafting championship at Thathri in river Chenab.
Director International Rafting Federation Joe Alice and rafting expert Natali are the judges of the event. Rafting teams from Australia, Nepal, Czecho-slovakia republics, besides Rafting teams of Army, J&K Police, Kashmir Rafting team and Jammu rafting team are participating in the event. A 10-km river patch from Thathri to Prem Nagar Doda has been identified for the safe for adventurous rafting competition during the event.
Addressing a public gathering on the occasion, GA Mir said that government is keen to restore the tourism glory of the state and exploit its potential in adventure tourism.
He said adventure tourism holds great potential to generate jobs for the state's people, especially the youth adding that it should also receive focused attention along with conventional and pilgrim tourism in the Chenab Valley which has a good rafting potential.
The Minister said that it is the first ever international rafting event in river Chenab to explore new adventure tourism potential in Doda and attract international teams and tourists to this place. The Minister said that about one hundred unemployed youth of Doda district would be trained in river rafting skills with the objective that they adopt this as profession and generate income for livelihood. He said the government would provide easy loans with subsidy to these youth for managing own rafts for promotion of river tourism in the belt.
Minister for R&B, Abdul Majid Wani in his address said that focused thrust is being also given to develop new spots besides infrastructure up gradation in Jammu region.
He said that facilities are being also created in Chenab Valley besides promoting leisure, pilgrim and heritage tourism. Minister of State for Home and Tourism, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, MLA Inderwal Ghulam Momammad Saroori, Director Tourism Kashmir Talat Parveez, Director Tourism Jammu R. S. Mehta, District Development Commissioner Doda, Officers of Tourism Department beside others also present on the occasion. |
