Jammu experts invisible to productivity, people suffering

 

Jammu: Of three regions, Kashmir due to turmoil and Ladakh due to natural calamity are out of gear. Leaving, Jammu with unlimited opportunities for development and growth. Sons and daughters’ of soil with expert acumen in their respective fields are subjected to responsibility to formulate strategy in such a way that people of Jammu region remembers their contribution for years together to come. For that all politicians, bureaucrats and heads of various departments have to come forward to prove their might and worth.

 

Tourism, trade and agriculture are main components for prosperity and development of Jammu to which concerned departments have exhibited pathetic attitude. Despite increase in tourist influx as per official data, department has failed to attract tourists due to its inability to formulate policies which could boost tourist influx for the region. In comparison to 3.08 lakhs in 2009 complete year 2.67 lakhs have visited Patnitop this year in just seven months. Similarly, against 1.58 lakhs in whole year of 2009, more than 1.38 lakhs have visited to Mansar in just seven months this year, informed sources said.  

 

Incompetence in formulating the productive policies can also be judged by the official figures of the department wherein for the month of June more than 10528 visitors visited Mansar and it declined to 7158 in the month of July and is expected to come more down in the current month. Despite tremendous increase in pilgrimage tourism for Mata Vaishno Devi, Shiv Khori and Shadra Sharief, tourism authorities in Jammu have failed desperately to make these tourists to redirect their journey to tourist spots in the region, claim sources.

 

Credibility of agriculture and horticulture departments could be judged by the sky rocketing rates of fruits and vegetables. Tomato has reached Rs 60 per kg and time is not far away when fruit vendors will charge for looking upon fruits and buying them would be about day dreaming. It not only about the departments mentioned but all about those who have developed parasitic character and are always dependable on New Delhi financial assistance.

 

Director Tourism Jammu when contacted said that department is doing its level best to promote tourism by providing facilities to tourists at various spots. He informed that efforts of promotion of various spots through electronic and print media are on. Speaking about the basic fundamental of promoting tourism, Director said that department is doing efforts to encourage redirection of tourists to tourist spots for longer span of time to boost the economy of state.    (CHAMAN KAUL)