Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today asserted that her Government is very serious regarding promotion of handicrafts of the State even as she directed the Tourism Department to make advance arrangements for a successful coming winter season.Interacting with various deputations of trade bodies here today, the Chief Minister said her Government is taking many steps to promoting State's handicraft industry with which the livelihood of thousands of people is connected. She said incentives in terms of remissions, concessions and other logistic incentives have already been extended to the industry and all efforts would be made to make the industry much more vibrant.Mehbooba Mufti asked the Tourism Department to make advance preparations for the coming snow and winter season in Kashmir. She asked the Department to use all means of promotion to sell the Kashmir winter in the tourism market of the country and abroad. She asked the members of tourist trade to take full benefit of all the incentives and concessions made available to them by the Government.
The deputations, which comprised representatives of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Srinagar, Joint Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Jammu and traders from Batamalloo area raised many of their issues and sought their redressal. These pertained to Trade Policy, remission under various schemes, setting up of Trade Promotion Organisation and issues related to Srinagar Master Plan besides incentives for Saffron, Walnut and High Density plantation and rationalisation of interest on loans. They also demanded further rationalisation of activities at Trade Facilitation Centres of Salamabad and Chakkan da Bagh and putting the cross LoC trade transactions on online platform.The Chief Minister assured the deputations to look into their demands and take appropriate action.Several other deputations also met the Chief Minister and raised their issues with her.
A deputation of J&K Football Association demanded revival of Departmental football teams and prioritizing the highly competitive games. They also demanded opening of college grounds of Srinagar city in the evenings for playing the game.Deputations of Shia Federation, Jammu and Jamiat I Ahle Hadith also met Mehbooba Mufti and put forth their demands.Deputations of people from Sidiqabad, Shopian and Manloo, Zawoora also met the Chief Minister. They demanded posting of adequate staff at District Hospital, Shopian, augmentation of drinking water facilities in villages of Mughalpora, Mazhama and Tarmdora in Shopian. They also demanded construction of protection bund at Sidiqabad, upgradation of Palapora-Sidiqabad road, addressing the drinking water needs of the area and other issues.Mehbooba Mufti assured the deputations to look into the issues raised by them and redress these on priority.(GNS)