Tie-up with overseas tour operators, special packages on anvil to attract more travelers

Various resorts being developed as corporate conferencing venues
Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora has called for a coordinated effort from overseas and local tour operators to attract more travelers to the State. While announcing his ministry’s decision to explore a possible tie-up with Cox & Kings, a well-known global tour and travel company for working out special packages for overseas and domestic tourists, he said international travel agencies can play a key role in dispelling fears about traveling to Kashmir as well as rein in their countries in withdrawing travel advisories. The Tourism Minister was speaking at a high-level meeting with the representatives of Cox & Kings, here. Secretary, Tourism, Ms. Tanvir Jehan, Managing Director, JKTDC, Mr. Rafiq Ahmad Qadri, Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Mr. Farooq Ahmad Shah and General Manager, JKTDC, Mr. Shamim Ahmad, besides other senior officers were present in the meeting. Reemphasizing J&K’s multifarious tourism potential which has not been tapped to its maximum, the Minister said a congenial atmosphere will pave way for never-before-seen tourist rush to the State. He said his Ministry is already in touch with the Union Aviation Ministry to increase frequency of flights to Srinagar, Jammu and Leh so that high-end travelers, having great spending power, end up visiting the State. “Our traditional handicrafts and rich cultural sites like Parihaspora, Awantipora in Kashmir, Mubarak Mandi in Jammu and Alchi and Lama Youru monasteries in Ladakh will attract a new class of travelers to the State,” he said, adding sustained media campaign is required to achieve the goals. Elaborating on the strategic initiative to promote J&K in overseas and domestic market, the Minister said a Rs. 10-crore high visibility national campaign across electronic media to be launched to showcase the State among potential tourists is being examined. “The campaign proposes to include promos on State’s site spots, culture links and cuisines and will target holidaymakers through print and sms contests,” he said. Referring to the frequent use of Internet by professional travelers in quest for newer tourist destinations, Mr. Jora said new information technologies would be profusely used to highlight special packages for such tourists traveling to the State. “We have a number of interactive sites on the web, which can be used to identify professional travelers looking for new destinations. What better option can they have than J&K,” he said. Mr. Jora said his Ministry will seriously consider Cox & Kings’ proposal for outdoor marketing for showcasing J&K by playing high-quality videos at strategic places like shopping malls, hotels and multiplexes, instead of ‘single static image format’ to attract the visitors. “We have found Cox & Kings’ proposal of a creative brochure and special micro-site on C&K portal extremely appealing,” he added. He said the government is also seriously considering promotion of known tourist spots as corporate conferencing sites, al a, Davos. “Various tourist resorts are being developed as corporate conferencing sites for which efforts are on to create state-of-the-art infrastructure so that India Inc and Indian chapters of foreign multinational companies can hold their annual conferences there,” the Minister stated. The Minister disclosed that special holiday packages are being prepared for various categories of tourists to the State coming fall. “The packages will cover adventure tourists, pilgrim tourists, heritage travelers and holidaymakers like honeymoon couples and family troupes,” he added. Urging people to play their part in promoting tourism in the State, especially Kashmir, Mr. Jora said the tie-up with Cox & Kings will also include a comprehensive package for safety and security of the tourists. Giving details about the proposal to package J&K, Mr. Raju of C&K said that the company has undertaken a recci of various tourist sites of the State for the last one week after which a detailed action plan has been prepared, which includes media campaign to bring J&K on international tourism circuit. He said though the State has sufficient infrastructure to absorb heavy influx of tourists, the government needs to work towards providing certain add-on facilities like better road connectivity, communication links, food, transport and guides to different destinations. “We have met houseboat owners, hoteliers and transporters and also visited several health resorts. We have already finalized a tour of Russian tourists to the State, the first-ever from that country,” he informed.

Scandals worth crores detected in Muslim Wakf Board

1. Multi-crore purchases, constructions made without tenders
2. Bank deposits clandestinely withdrawn
3. CM constitutes Committee to submit report within 15 days
4. Whitepaper on scandals being prepared for Assembly Session

Chief Minister Mr. Omar Abdullah, who is also the Chairman of Muslim Wakf Board, today constituted an in-house Committee to look into the irregularities and mismanagement committed by the Board during last six years. The Chief Minister, while chairing the first meeting of the newly-constituted Wakf Board here this morning, gave this direction when the status report of the functioning of the last Board was reviewed in the meeting The status report revealed large-scale irregularities and mismanagement in the functioning of the last Board. Mr. Abdullah asked the Committee to present the report with its recommendations within a period of 15 days so that a whitepaper for the information of legislators and general public is issued accordingly.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Finance, Mr. Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Rural Development, Mr. Ali Mohammad Sagar, Vice Chairman, Muslim Wakf Board, Mr. M. Y. Qadri and Members of the Board, Maulana Riyaz Ahmad Hamdani, Maulana Showkat Hussain Keng, Mr. Ghulam Mohiddin Mattoo, Sheikh Ghulam Rasool, Dr. Mehrajuddin, Mrs. Nusrat Andrabi and Mr. Ahsan Ahmad Mirza.

The meeting was informed that among so many other irregularities, important records of the Board are missing. It was also informed that the number of employees of the Board has been more than doubled raising the wage bill of the Board employees to Rs. 6 crore from Rs. 2 crore. Various works have been started without proper tendering and expenditures have been made without approval, the meeting was informed. Fixed deposits with the banks running into crores of rupees were withdrawn without any sanction of the Board and the utilization of the money remains unexplained. Safes worth lakhs of rupees were purchased which now lie in storage as there was no requirement for these. Purchases were made without transparency and it appears to have been done to benefit a handful of vested interests at the cost of the ziarats and devotees.

It was also revealed in the meeting that since the time of conversion of Muslim Aquaf Trust into the Muslim Wakf Board, the last Board had virtually turned its functioning into a government department. It was added that Muslim Auqaf Trust constituted with the objective of maintaining, preserving and upgrading mosques, shrines and other Wakf properties besides rendering service to the Muslims, has lost its goal.

The meeting was informed that no care for Shariat law has been taken while making irrational and uncalled for expenditures and that too without any approval. The records of expenditures and Board decisions are missing, the meeting was told.

It was further informed that Wakf funds have been diverted for non-Wakf activities and even spent on the construction of roads.

The Chief Minister called for rendering selfless service to maintain, preserve and upgrade the shrines and Wakf property in the State. While reviewing the beautification of surroundings of shrines and the construction works, he directed for formulating a project for the Ziarat Peer Dastageer Saheb (RA) Khanyar, adding that the experience of those who have visited Baghdad-e-Sharief could be utilized for the preparation of the project.

The Chief Minister also asked the Board to also expedite improving of Hazratbal surroundings. He said the repair works of the Hazratbal sanctum sanctorum should be immediately taken in hand. He also directed for making necessary repairs at Ziarat Hazrat Makhdoom Saheb (RA).

Earlier, Mr. Qadri, while giving a brief resume of the status report and agenda points fixed for discussion today, presented a short history of Muslim Auqaf Trust which was converted into Muslim Wakf Board.

Mr. Qadri also identified areas requiring urgent attention of the Board. He also pinpointed the issues including introduction of vocational courses in the Wakf Board-run Schools and up-gradation of infrastructural facilities there.

The meeting discussed matters pertaining to the expansion programme of Hazratbal shrine, integrated circuit of Hazratbal and Idgah, construction works at Charar-e-Sharief, taking over of Bait-ul-Zaireen at Baba Reshi by the Board, expansion of premises of Hazrat Peer Dastageer Saheb (RA), creation of infrastructure at Mantaqi Schools. Awantipora, Charar-e-Sharief and Ahm-e-Sharief. Matters pertaining to Bibi Haleema Nursing College also come up for discussion.

Chinese artist enthralls Kashmiri audience

Kashmiri Santoor resembles with Chinese Yangqin

A unique performance of Chinese Traditional Music fallowed by an interaction with Internationally renowned Artist Prof. (Dr.) LIU Yuening from China was held here at Academy Cultural Complex this afternoon. 90 minutes long performance on traditional instrument of China called Yangqin was fallowed by a discussion on changing scenario of traditional Indo-Chinese Music was concluded here with the note that the Intellectual Community of both Countries of world would work together for brining closer two neighboring countries of South Asia so as to work in cordial atmosphere ,and fight for the cause of humankind.
The performance was organized by Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Language which was attended by a galaxy of dignitaries, including musicians writers, poets , artists and students of Institute of Music and Fine Arts, Kashmir. Prof. LIU Yuening who is Presently on Indian cultural tour has been associated with a number of organizations in China working for the promotion of traditional music .She is teaching in the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in Beijing, and is the youngest professor of Yangqin and educating traditional music in the Department of Traditional Instruments. Prof. LIU is also an Asia Fellows for Research Programme in Music Department of Delhi University. She said Yangqin, which also known as Santoor in India, Cymbalom, in Central European countries, is also a part of traditional Chinese musical instrument since centuries. There is a strong believes that this instrument was instrument may have been introduced by land, through the famous Silk Rout, She said. She father told that the some of the folk tunes of Kashmiri Musicsurprisingly resembles with the traditional Music of China. While interacting with the musicians of Kashmir Valley Prof.LIU Yuening told that in order to create an atmosphere of cordial relationship and brotherhood between two countries, the intellectual community can play a pivotal role . It is duty of Cultural institutions to dismantle the walls of hatred so that the people belonging to this region are able to share their experiences. She further added that our Languages Literature, Art , Music and Culture are one and we have carry along this legacy. Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, Secretary Academy in his welcome address stated that Academy has devised a number of such events to be held in Valley in near future and we have already announced this year as a year of Cultural diologue. He added that main objective of these programmes would be to bringing together the Artists, Writers, Musicians, Theatre Activists from India and other countries of the world nearer. Mr. Manhas stated that such events built a bridge of friendship and brotherhood between the sensitive communities of both countries. Earlier Mr. Haroon Rashid Senior Academy Officer ,Mrs. Shamima Gul Additional Secretary Academy presented a Kashmiri Shawal and a memento to Prof Liu Yuening.