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Parliamentary committee on commerce will go to Pahalgam and Ladakh in the first week of September to visit the spot of the brutal attack to pay their tributes
Tourists trickle back at high-altitude meadows of JK’s Bhaderwah in Doda district of J&K. (PTI)
In cash-starved Kashmir, where the mainstay of its economy is tourism, the Pahalgam attack cast a shadow over it, and the state government as much as the Centre are worried about the numbers.
There is a sense of optimism, however, with the tourist footfall slowly picking up.
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Tourism Minister Gajendra Shekhawat said that there are 18,000 rooms which are more or less full for the upcoming tourism season. The only worry is that almost all are domestic tourists, while foreigners have mostly stayed away. A two-day conference of officials, including the minister, was held to ensure the numbers go up.
But in this, the government wants all opposition parties too to come on board and chip in.
The last time I was in Pahalgam I cycled through a market that was all but deserted. Today I came back to a Pahalgam that was bustling with activity. Tourists from various parts of the country competed for space with local picnickers who were enjoying the cool climate & rainy… pic.twitter.com/Mm9puLMOEG— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 22, 2025
Now the parliamentary committee on commerce will go to Pahalgam and Ladakh in the first week of September to visit the spot of the brutal attack to pay their tributes. But they also plan to meet officials, local traders, and hoteliers to ensure that their concerns can be addressed.
Renuka Chaudhary, member of the commerce standing committee, said, “After the Pahalgam terror attack, Kashmir’s tourism had collapsed. Hotels, tourist guides, vendors, and lots of small businesses dependent on the hospitality sector are suffering. This parliamentary committee is the first one to hold a meeting there. It is time to go an extra mile and help revive the economy. It will send a strong, reassuring message that the Indian state is present, attentive, sensitive, and responsive.”
Sources say that the government has big plans and could announce an interim package based on the recommendations of the committee and also could work out an incentive package to ensure that the tourism sector earns a lifeline, as also the traders and vendors.
Sources say that the government is encouraging corporates to hold their meetings in Pahalgam in future so as to reassure the people that security arrangements are in place and all is well. And that Pahalgam is good to go.
About the Author
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als…Read More
Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als… Read More
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