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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Himachal ministers' absence from cabinet meeting unusual, says Jai Ram Thakur
Jun 29, 2025 05:18 AM IST Leader of opposition, Jai Ram Thakur has once again hit out at Congress after four cabinet ministers — deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri, industry minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, education minister Rohit Thakur and PWD minister Vikramaditya Singh were conspicuous with their absence from the cabinet meeting on Saturday. The education minister has a programme in Chaupal assembly constituency, while three other ministers did not attend the meeting due to personal reasons. In a statement issued from Kullu, Jai Ram Thakur said, 'Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu led Congress government does not take anything seriously. The same is the condition of the cabinet meeting of Sukhu's government at present.' (HT File) In a statement issued from Kullu, Jai Ram Thakur said, 'Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu led Congress government does not take anything seriously. The same is the condition of the cabinet meeting of Sukhu's government at present. The absence of ministers from an important meeting raises questions. Questions are being raised internally whether the absence of ministers in the cabinet is just a coincidence, preoccupation or boycott of the cabinet meeting,' said Thakur while hinting at rifts in the Congress. 'With Monsoon there has been a huge loss of public money due to rain, cloudburst and floods. In such a situation, this is the first meeting of the cabinet and the absence of ministers handling important departments in that meeting raises big questions in itself. The absence of cabinet members in the meeting is somewhere a direct challenge to the leadership,' said Thakur.
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to inaugurate several development projects in Ani assembly segment
Shimla: The Kullu administration is gearing up for chief minister 's two-day visit to Baga Sarahan in Nirmand from June 17. Torul S Ravish, deputy commissioner, Kullu, in a statement on Sunday informed that the CM would inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for several development projects worth crores of rupees in the Ani assembly constituency. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On June 17, the state govt will organise the 'Sarkar Gaon Ke Dwar' programme at Baga Sarahan. During the event, the CM will dedicate various departmental projects to the public and also lay the foundation for several new projects, said the DC. The CM will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for various roadways, drinking water, and irrigation schemes amounting to Rs 63 crore (approximately). He will also inaugurate the Cart Eco Trails project at Baga Sarahan, which includes the Brightal Path and related works worth Rs 74 lakh, the DC informed. The CM will also inaugurate the Nature Interpretation and Service Center at Jalori Jot, developed at a cost of Rs 6.28 crore, the DC added. MSID:: 121862174 413 |
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Time of India
Travel bookings cancelled in Kashmir, tourist footfall may rise in Himachal, Uttarakhand
1 2 3 4 Kullu: The killing of tourists in Kashmir's Pahalgam is likely to have far-reaching consequences and impact on the tourism sector in neighbouring mountain states, mainly Himachal Pradesh, in an unprecedented way. As a majority of people have cancelled their travel bookings for Kashmir in the wake of the April 23 terror attack, experts point out that Himachal might start witnessing a surge in tourist footfall , both domestic and foreign. "It's a sad and highly unfortunate incident. This tragedy not only upended the tourism sector in Kashmir, but will also impact the neighbouring states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. I was in the tourism business for more than five decades but never saw or heard of such a heinous thing before," said Mohinder Seth, the president of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Stakeholders' Association. "While travelling, safety is the topmost concern. This tragedy is likely to divert Kashmir tourists to Himachal Pradesh and also to Uttarakhand. This horror struck just when tourism was getting back on track in a vigorous way in Kashmir," added Seth. According to the Economic Survey report (2024-25) for Jammu and Kashmir, tourist footfall had increased in Kashmir four times since 2021. As per the report, Kashmir saw a rise in the number of tourists from 6.65 lakh in 2021 to 34.97 lakh, an increase of around 425%. Along with domestic tourists, there was also an increase in the number of foreign visitors from 1,614 in 2021 to 43,654 in 2024. Overall, the entire Jammu and Kashmir region saw a record 2.36 crore tourist arrivals in 2024. This figure includes the numbers for Jammu. The tourism sector makes up for 7.2% of the GDP of Jammu and Kashmir. On the other hand, the tourism industry contributes 7.78% to the state GDP of Himachal Pradesh, which has also been seeing a rise in tourist footfall after facing a slump during the pandemic years. As per the Economic Survey report for Himachal Pradesh for 2024-25, the number of domestic visitors increased from 56.32 lakh in 2021 to 1.8 crore in 2024. The foreign travellers also increased from 5,000 in 2021 to 83,000 in 2024. According to Panki Sood, a Kullu-based hotelier who promotes sustainable tourism, the terror attack is a major setback for Kashmir tourism. "A whole generation grew up wanting to go to Kashmir, and it was only in the last three years that people's dream of visiting the paradise started coming true. It took decades to build the trust that you are safe in Kashmir. But now that trust is broken. This tragedy pushed back Kashmir tourism at least 15 years," said Sood. Sood called it a "sad reality" that the tragedy would divert tourism to Himachal and Uttarakhand. "We don't want such tourism, but travellers and tourists don't have any other choice. We may even witness double the tourist traffic this year. We are assuring our brethren in Kashmir that we are standing by them and will help them operate in Himachal if they wish so," added Sood. According to experts, an increase in the number of tourists will further pressurise tourism infrastructure in the state. "We don't have too many tourist destinations in the mountains, making everybody head mainly for Himachal Pradesh. The tourist destinations remain chock-a-block, especially during summertime. I think the govt needs to strengthen tourism infrastructure, including accommodation, roads, and parking, to accommodate the additional flow of visitors," said Ankur Thakur, a state-based hotelier. Box: Tourist Footfall In 2 States Himachal Pradesh Year | Domestic | Foreign 2021 | 56.32 lakh | 5,000 2022 | 1.50 crore | 29,000 2023 | 1.59 crore | 63,000 2024 | 1.8 crore* | 83,000* *Figure up to Dec Kashmir Year | Domestic | Foreign 2021 | 6.64 lakh | 1,614 | 2022 | 26.53 lakh | 19,947 2023 | 31.18 lakh | 37,678 2024 | 34.54 lakh | 43,654 Fall in Covid year in Himachal | Tourist footfall reported a sharp dip in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic struck the work. The state's domestic tourist footfall came down from 1.68 crore in 2019 to 31.7 lakh in 2020. Foreign tourists fell from 3.8 lakh in 2019 to 43,000 in 2020. Ladakh guv asks people to welcome tourists The lieutenant governor of Ladakh, Brig B D Mishra (retd), on Thursday appealed to all stakeholders and sought their assistance in welcoming tourists with open arms and taking all necessary measures to increase the footfall of tourists in Ladakh. In a statement, Mishra said tourism is the lifeline of the people of Ladakh, as the majority of people are engaged in tourism activities for their livelihood. He asked tourism stakeholders to welcome and support tourists and not indulge in any malpractices that might hamper the footfall and affect the livelihood opportunities of the people of Ladakh. He stated that going by the trend, he was expecting more tourists to visit Ladakh in 2025 than in 2024. He added appropriate action would be taken against the travel advisories issued by the United States and United Kingdom, categorising the UT of Ladakh under Jammu and Kashmir and thereby creating confusion and concern among foreign and domestic tourists. Kullu: The killing of tourists in Kashmir's Pahalgam is likely to have far-reaching consequences and impact on the tourism sector in neighbouring mountain states, mainly Himachal Pradesh, in an unprecedented way. As a majority of people have cancelled their travel bookings for Kashmir in the wake of the Feb 22 terror attack, experts point out that Himachal might start witnessing a surge in tourist footfall, both domestic and foreign. "It's a sad and highly unfortunate incident. This tragedy not only upended the tourism sector in Kashmir, but will also impact the neighbouring states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. I was in the tourism business for more than five decades but never saw or heard of such a heinous thing before," said Mohinder Seth, the president of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Stakeholders' Association. "While travelling, safety is the topmost concern. This tragedy is likely to divert Kashmir tourists to Himachal Pradesh and also to Uttarakhand. This horror struck just when tourism was getting back on track in a vigorous way in Kashmir," added Seth. According to the Economic Survey report (2024-25) for Jammu and Kashmir, tourist footfall had increased in Kashmir four times since 2021. As per the report, Kashmir saw a rise in the number of tourists from 6.65 lakh in 2021 to 34.97 lakh, an increase of around 425%. Along with domestic tourists, there was also an increase in the number of foreign visitors from 1,614 in 2021 to 43,654 in 2024. Overall, the entire Jammu and Kashmir region saw a record 2.36 crore tourist arrivals in 2024. This figure includes the numbers for Jammu. The tourism sector makes up for 7.2% of the GDP of Jammu and Kashmir. On the other hand, the tourism industry contributes 7.78% to the state GDP of Himachal Pradesh, which has also been seeing a rise in tourist footfall after facing a slump during the pandemic years. As per the Economic Survey report for Himachal Pradesh for 2024-25, the number of domestic visitors increased from 56.32 lakh in 2021 to 1.8 crore in 2024. The foreign travellers also increased from 5,000 in 2021 to 83,000 in 2024. According to Panki Sood, a Kullu-based hotelier who promotes sustainable tourism, the terror attack is a major setback for Kashmir tourism. "A whole generation grew up wanting to go to Kashmir, and it was only in the last three years that people's dream of visiting the paradise started coming true. It took decades to build the trust that you are safe in Kashmir. But now that trust is broken. This tragedy pushed back Kashmir tourism at least 15 years," said Sood. Sood called it a "sad reality" that the tragedy would divert tourism to Himachal and Uttarakhand. "We don't want such tourism, but travellers and tourists don't have any other choice. We may even witness double the tourist traffic this year. We are assuring our brethren in Kashmir that we are standing by them and will help them operate in Himachal if they wish so," added Sood. According to experts, an increase in the number of tourists will further pressurise tourism infrastructure in the state. "We don't have too many tourist destinations in the mountains, making everybody head mainly for Himachal Pradesh. The tourist destinations remain chock-a-block, especially during summertime. I think the govt needs to strengthen tourism infrastructure, including accommodation, roads, and parking, to accommodate the additional flow of visitors," said Ankur Thakur, a state-based hotelier. Box: Tourist Footfall In 2 States Himachal Pradesh Year | Domestic | Foreign 2021 | 56.32 lakh | 5,000 2022 | 1.50 crore | 29,000 2023 | 1.59 crore | 63,000 2024 | 1.8 crore* | 83,000* *Figure up to Dec Kashmir Year | Domestic | Foreign 2021 | 6.64 lakh | 1,614 | 2022 | 26.53 lakh | 19,947 2023 | 31.18 lakh | 37,678 2024 | 34.54 lakh | 43,654 Fall in Covid year in Himachal | Tourist footfall reported a sharp dip in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic struck the work. The state's domestic tourist footfall came down from 1.68 crore in 2019 to 31.7 lakh in 2020. Foreign tourists fell from 3.8 lakh in 2019 to 43,000 in 2020. Ladakh guv asks people to welcome tourists The lieutenant governor of Ladakh, Brig B D Mishra (retd), on Thursday appealed to all stakeholders and sought their assistance in welcoming tourists with open arms and taking all necessary measures to increase the footfall of tourists in Ladakh. In a statement, Mishra said tourism is the lifeline of the people of Ladakh, as the majority of people are engaged in tourism activities for their livelihood. He asked tourism stakeholders to welcome and support tourists and not indulge in any malpractices that might hamper the footfall and affect the livelihood opportunities of the people of Ladakh. He stated that going by the trend, he was expecting more tourists to visit Ladakh in 2025 than in 2024. He added appropriate action would be taken against the travel advisories issued by the United States and United Kingdom, categorising the UT of Ladakh under Jammu and Kashmir and thereby creating confusion and concern among foreign and domestic tourists.
