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| Amarnath Yatra can generate Rs 2400 cr annually for J&K, says study | | Yatra has economic potential to surpass Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 24: Amarnath Yatra has in economic terms potential to surpass Shri Mata Vaishno Devi sector since it can generate Rs. 2400 crore annually for cash starved state of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to a study, abstract of which is with Early Times, Amarnath Yatra could turn out to become a major economy booster for Kashmir valley. It says that if allowed to run throughout the year, it could generate Rs. 2400 crores, which may be higher than the total revenue earned or "actual" expenditure incurred annually under the entire state plan of Jammu and Kashmir.
Study says that comparative figures for Amarnath where minimum halt in Kashmir Valley would range from three nights on Baltal route to six nights on Chandanwari route, touches at least Rs. 3,000 per head, meaning that 4 lakh Yatris currently undertaking Amarnath Yatra contribute Rs. 120 crores to Kashmir's economy.
It affirms that if there are similar numbers as in Vaishno Devi going up to Amarnath, which is not possible at the moment, figures could reach a stupendous Rs. 2400 crores, which may be higher than the total revenue earned or the "actual" expenditure incurred annually under the entire state plan of J&K.
So this could be the ultimate economic potential for the Amarnath Yatra. Even half of this potential, if allowed to be realized, could impact the lives of all those associated with the yatra in the Pahalgam-Sonemarg region in a manner hitherto unimagined. The study underlines that Skeptics may scoff at this analysis by arguing that many yatris, including some ill-clad sadhus, who survive on free food from langars, cannot be expected to contribute Rs. 3,000 per head.
It holds out that a small percentage of poor Yatris undertakes Vaishno Devi pilgrimage as well while adding that if the highest paying segment of helicopter borne pilgrims for Amarnath are compared with the same segment in Vaishno Devi and operators are asked to run facilities at both places, Amarnath sector would beat Vaishno Devi sector in terms of intensity of operations and obviously profitability.
According to the study, In Vaishno Devi only two helicopters operate from dawn to dusk vis-?-vis as many as six in the Amarnath sector. Referring to the two months of 2007, the study maintains that when the helicopters in Amarnath could fly for hardly fifty days, and when the holy ice-lingam had melted completely on the very first day of the yatra, the value of tickets sold was Rs. 15 crores.
It further adds that figures over the same period of operation in Vaishno Devi were hardly around Rs. 10 crores while concluding that pilgrimage to Amarnath has at least in economic terms the potential to surpass Vaishno Devi pilgrimage.
Scenery wise too, pilgrims who have visited both shrines hold Amarnath in greater awe because of the breathtaking vistas that they have to pass through along rugged mountains, high altitude lakes and gurgling streams, adds the study. Even the Holy Cave, that they come across at the end of their treks at both shrines, is grander and more breathtaking at Amarnath, study reveals.
The study is based on the experience of Shrine Board taking over the sacred pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi. It has said that starting from a lowly base of 13-14 lakhs in 1986, when this shrine was taken over by Jagmohan, the then Governor, in quite a bloodless coup, numbers have already exceeded 80 lakhs, forcing SMVDSB to plan for a yatra of 1 crore by 2020.
Overall economic impact of such a gigantic number should no doubt be quite mind numbing. A three year project led by Dr. S.K. Jain, Professor of the Department of Management, IIT Delhi, in fact, did try to put some numbers to the economic impact of this pilgrimage on hotels, lodges, eateries, pony, palki, and Pithoo wallahs, souvenir and dry fruit shops, bus, auto and taxi owners.
According to the study, in Katra town alone; Yatra would be pumping Rs. 470 crores annually! This excludes direct income of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) by way of offerings and donations, royalty, rents, interests and dividends, and indirect income by way of sales at board's eateries, Prasad and souvenir outlets.
The study affirms that another Rs. 300 crores can be added on this account, meaning that the "pilgrim tourists" are injecting more than Rs. 750 crores into Katra's economy. The study has taken into account the fact that whosoever visits Vaishno Devi makes a modest contribution of less than Rs. 1000 per pilgrim per year. |
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