A 3 day Baisakhi festival was inaugurated at Indo-Pak border at Suchetgarh today by the Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham lal Choudhary. The festival was jointly organised by Department of Tourism and Jammu & Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Language. Baisakhi, which marks the beginning of new sowing year harvesting season, is being celebrated with traditional enthusiasm and bliss across the State.MLA R S Pura Gagan Bhagat, Senior officers of Tourism Department, Cultural Academy, BSF and district administration were also present on the occasion besides prominent citizens of the area.Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that efforts are underway to develop Suchetgarh as border- tourist- destination to attract more and more tourists in the area.
He said former chief minister late Mufti Mohammad syeed was eager to develop Suchetgarh border at par with Wagah border.Describing the event a historic one, the Minister said that the celebration of Baisakhi festival at zero-line of Indo-Pak border will go a long way in promoting border tourism.Enlisting the welfare schemes for the farmer community, Minister said that several welfare schemes have been initiated by the centre and state government including Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMBY)for the benefit of the farmers. The Minister, earlier, planted a sapling at the zero line in presence of MLA R S Pura.Various multi lingual cultural programmes were also presented, which were the centre of attraction for the people attended the festival. Various government departments had also installed their stalls to display the information related to their area.