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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah connected Thursday (February 5, 2026) said that helium volition rise the issue of closed tourism destinations with Home Minister Amit Shah during his upcoming sojourn to the Union Territory.
Responding to a supplementary question of Congress MLA Nizam Uddin Bhat, Mr. Abdullah said it is close that immoderate tourer destinations are inactive closed post the Pahalgam panic onslaught successful April past year.
"I judge the clip has present travel to reopen them. From the government's side, discussions with the Government of India connected this contented are ongoing. The Home Minister is scheduled to sojourn Jammu and Kashmir successful the coming days, and I guarantee the House, and particularly the MLA from Bandipora, that this contented volition surely beryllium discussed with him," the Chief Minister, who besides holds the tourism portfolio, said.
Nearly 50 tourer destinations were unopen down by the L-G medication aft terrorists changeable dormant 26 tourists astatine Baisaran successful the Pahalgam country connected April 22 past year.
However, implicit a twelve destinations reopened successful September, but galore proceed to stay closed.
Earlier replying to the question raised by National Conference MLA Ali Mohd Sagar, Mr. Abdullah said since the rules governing the of registration oregon renewal of each tourism units person been framed successful 1978 arsenic such, the tourism section is successful the process of revising the Jammu and Kashmir Tourist Trade Rules with a presumption to further simplify, rationalise and streamline the registration and renewal model for each tourism units.
"The projected revisions purpose astatine making the full process much transparent, user-friendly and strictly time-bound, thereby reducing procedural delays and improving easiness of doing concern successful the tourism assemblage crossed the Union Territory," the Chief Minister said.
He said the tourism assemblage present remains a large root of some nonstop and indirect employment for section youth.
"The Department of Tourism is actively promoting the assemblage done the regular organisation of promotional events and festivals crossed the UT. These initiatives make divers livelihood opportunities by engaging lawsuit managers, transport operators, integer contented creators, hospitality workers, guides, artisans, and different work providers. Such activities besides lend meaningfully to accomplishment entrepreneurship development, sustainable employment procreation among the youth," the Chief Minister said.
Mr Abdullah said the section outsources assorted assets, including the cafeteria, huts, parking areas, and introduction tickets, which supply nonstop and indirect employment to younker connected a regular basis.
Further, helium said, the authorities has formally notified simplified guidelines for the registration of homestays to promote assemblage information and beforehand inclusive and balanced tourism development, peculiarly successful borderline and agrarian areas.
He added that the registration and renewal of impermanent houses, hotels, homestays, question agencies, and different tourism units are being carried retired online.
"The registration/renewal process is covered nether the Public Service Guarantee Act. Upon fulfilment of each requisite formalities arsenic per the prescribed checklist, the applicant is assured of registration/renewal wrong a stipulated clip framework of 30 days done the online system," helium said.
Responding to assorted repeated supplementaries raised by the members, the main curate said, "We ourselves admit wrong the section that the registration process is cumbersome and needs to beryllium simplified."
"I americium personally ashamed to admit that since 1978, we ne'er adjacent thought of reviewing these rules and procedures. I americium besides liable for this. Our authorities was successful powerfulness earlier arsenic well, for six years, yet we did not code this issue. Many of you person besides been portion of governments astatine antithetic times, but since 1978, this has ne'er done. However, amended precocious than never, we are present moving connected it," helium said.
He said it is indispensable to simplify the registration process.
"It is not capable to simply nexus it with the Public Services Guarantee Act and assertion that our occupation is done, due to the fact that we are besides alert that the punishment imposed nether the enactment is not terrible capable to genuinely deter officers," helium said.
"The reality, and we indispensable judge this, is that successful galore cases erstwhile these processes oregon NOCs are deliberately delayed, the underlying volition is to extract bribes, truthful that erstwhile wealth is paid nether the table, the record starts moving," helium added.
Responding to different question from MLA Banihal Sajad Shaheen, helium said the authorities is examining a connection to notify a caller tourism destination successful J-K, including respective locations successful Ramban territory similar Godagali, Nathatop, Daggan ToP, Neel Top, Mahoo, Sarvadhar (Pogal Paristan), Sargali Pogal, Chanderkote and Bhatni.
For the fiscal twelvemonth 2025-26, helium said ₹117.27 lakhs person been allocated nether the Capex Budget for the improvement of tourism infrastructure successful Banihal-Gool Constituency.
