Minister for Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction and Floriculture Javaid Mustafa Mir today flagged off Mata Kheer Bhawani Yatra forTulmulla (Ganderbal) from Nagrota here this morning.IGP Jammu, Dr. S.D Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, Commissioner, Relief, M.L Raina, Kiran Wattal, Head Mata Kheer Bhawani Committee besides senior functionaries of the concerned departments and members of the committee were present on the occasion.Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said the government has made proper arrangements for the pilgrims enroute and elaborate security measures have been taken for a safe and secure yatra with sufficient security personnel being deployed on the way to ensure smooth pilgrimage for the devotees.“Jammu and Kashmir is a unique bouquet of diverse cultures and the government is making every possible effort to preserve and promote state’s cultural wealth”, the Minister maintained.He also called for maintaining close coordination among the departments entrusted with the arrangements.
While interacting with the pilgrims, the Minister congratulated and wished them a safe journey.The district administration, Mata Kheer Bhawani Committee and concerned departments along with the Civil Defence volunteers have made adequate arrangements of bus service, security, food, drinking water, medicare, sanitation etc for the convenience of pilgrims.The administration appealed the pilgrims to make this yatra a polythene free one. A large number of pilgrims from across the state, country and abroad today left for Kashmir Valley to take part in the annual 'Kheer Bhawani Mela' in the Tulmulla area of Ganderbal district.The state government had arranged a large fleet of buses of State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) for boarding of pilgrims from Jammu besides large number of private buses and small vehicles.