Surge in foreign tourists; 1,057 new roads on anvil: J&K Adviser on R-Day

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, January 27

The government of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday said it had not only improved healthcare infrastructure in J&K, achieving TB-free status in districts like Pulwama and Anantnag, but also witnessed unprecedented tourism growth, with over 1.88 crore tourist visits recorded in 2022, including foreigners.

Advanced road connectivity had been achieved through initiatives like the Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), the government said.

The government has operationalised 3,000 health and wellness centres in Jammu and Kashmir. It said districts like Pulwama and Anantnag had achieved TB-free status, with an 80% reduction in TB incidence since 2015.

Budgam district in Kashmir, the government said, had already been declared TB-free. The government’s commitment to health-related advancements took centre stage in the main Republic Day address delivered in Srinagar.

Under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) of NABARD, a record number of 1,057 road and bridge projects for an amount of Rs 4,550 crore had been sanctioned since 2019-20, which include 183 projects sanctioned during 2023-24 at a cost of Rs 913 crore.

This was revealed by Adviser to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, after unfurling the National Flag to mark the 75th Republic Day celebrations at Bakshi Stadium here.

He said the number of foreign tourist visits had reached 51,297 till December 7, 2023, as against 17,611 in 2022 during the corresponding period marking a growth of roughly 200 per cent.

He said robust public health infrastructure was essential for the progress of any developing nation, adding that J&K was witnessing a massive push in the establishment of world-class healthcare facilities.

He added that two AIIMS, two state cancer institutes and other advanced healthcare facilities were being established here. Bhatnagar said now, there were five new medical colleges at Rajouri, Kathua, Doda, Baramulla and Anantnag, which were functional from their buildings.

He added that work on new GMC Udhampur and GMC Handwara had been started and the first batch of MBBS classes started in both colleges with 100 students each started from the current year, enhancing the MBBS seats to 1,300.

He said J&K received had the bronze medal for significant achievement of more than 20 per cent reduction (compared with the baseline of 2015) in the TB incidence in the UT during the ‘One World TB summit’.

In his address, the Advisor also spoke about the road and other allied infrastructure developmental projects. He said under PMGSY, the Centre had sanctioned 3,453 projects under PMGSY-I & II for the construction of 19,049 km of roads at an estimated cost of Rs 12,565 crore.

He added that 2,107 habitations had been connected by March 2023 and 12 habitations would be connected this year, adding that the remaining 33 habitations were to be connected by March 2024.

He said under the Jal Jeevan Mission, J&K has targeted to provide FHTCs by covering all its 18.70 lakh rural households with tap water connections capable of supplying water in adequate quantity.

The advisor added that the agriculture sector was witnessing a boom in Jammu and Kashmir. Holistic Agriculture Development Programme for Agriculture, launched in April of 2023, had received overwhelming support from the farming community and in the last nine months, 50,000 applications from farmers and youth have been received on the Kisan Sathi portal, of which 14,000 had been.

Speaking on the tourism sector, Bhatnagar said it had done exceptionally well and witnessed unprecedented growth in 2022, as more than 1.88 crore tourist visits had been recorded in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pulwama, Anantnag declared TB-free

• The government said Pulwama and Anantnag districts had achieved TB-free status, with 80% reduction in TB incidence since 2015
• Budgam district in Kashmir had already been declared TB-free

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