Hyderabad: Terming Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi as a political tourist, Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s (BRS) working president and minister KT Rama Rao said that politicians who are unemployed are provoking the youth of Telangana.
He said that the parties which did not work for the welfare of people while in power are now “preaching the state governments like Telangana which consistently ranked high in performance”.
Responding to Priyanka Gandhi’s Telangana visit for a political rally on youth issues, the BRS working president reminded her of the ‘decades-long history of failures of Congress Party’.
KTR criticized Congress for ‘exploiting’ youth, and employment issues solely for its politics. He said that the country would not have experienced an ‘unemployment crisis’ if Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced employment policy and worked like BRS. The Minister said that the Telangana government under the leadership of chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao provided employment to 2.2 lakh youth in the government and 22 lakh youth in the private sector.
The Minister said that Congress was at the ‘end of its wits’ as it was away from power for the past 10 years. He cited this as the reason for the ‘political unemployees’ of Congress trying to provoke the youth of Telangana.
Asserting that they will not be successful in the ‘vicious’ attempts, he asked them to compare the number of posts filled by Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh and by the Telangana government after formation of the state. He reminded about the ‘bitter experiences and injustice’ done to Telangana youth in interviews even after clearing written exams with merit.
He demanded Priyanka Gandhi apologize on behalf of the Congress party for taking the lives of hundreds of Telangana youth during the separate Telangana movement, by delaying the formation of the state for their political gains. KTR said that even the current Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee’s (TPCC) president Revanth Reddy termed Sonia Gandhi as the culprit (balidevatha) behind all the suicides.
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The Minister said that Hyderabad is a global city that welcomes lakhs of tourists every day and it also welcomes ‘political tourists’ like Priyanka Gandhi.
He termed the Congress as a ‘sinking ship’ and suggested Priyanka Gandhi turn her political tour into an ‘educational tour’. He asked her to witness the growth of Telangana and learn by seeing the world class roads, flyovers, cable bridge and offices of the top MNCs in Hyderabad. KTR suggested that she ask fellow congressmen what people like superstar Rajinikanth spoke about Hyderabad. He invited her to understand local conditions and learn from what she sees there.
KTR highlighted the ‘failures’ during Congress rule like lack of drinking and irrigation water, issues with electricity, and lack of support for agriculture.
The Minister said that in stark contrast to the Congress rule, BRS led Telangana government provided 24*7 power, Rythu Bandhu, Aasaea pensions for the needy, Mission Bhagiratha etc. He suggested Priyanka learn from the inclusive and holistic developmental activities, and policies of Telangana, and implement them in Congress-ruled states.
He said that the people of Telangana who are ‘astute’ will secure their future by electing KCR who achieved formation of the state and that the ‘political tourist’ Priyanka Gandhi will realize this in the tour.
The All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary will lead a rally and address a public meeting at Saroornagar stadium on Monday.
This is her maiden political visit to Telangana since the state’s formation in 2014.
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SRINAGAR: A tourist from Gujarat suddenly fell unconscious and died in hotel Pine in the Pahalgam area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday.
Officials said that one tourist namely Liyakat Ali son of Mohammad Ali resident of Fateh Gunj Gujarat suddenly fell unconscious.
He was taken to GMC Anantnag by his relatives but doctors declared him brought dead.
Meanwhile, medico-legal formalities are being conducted and further proceedings have been taken up—(KS)
Says upcoming G 20 event would position J&K tourism on a global platform
Srinagar, May 6 (GNS): Secretary Tourism & Culture, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah today directed constitution of helpline cum grievance redressal facility at TRC Srinagar /Jammu for tourists. He announced a regular monthly stakeholder consultation with the office bearers of various trade bodies of tourism sector to identify areas for improvement and devise strategies to overcome any challenges.
The directions were issued today during a marathon meeting-cum-interaction the Tourism Secretary had with the stakeholders of the tourism industry to discuss and evaluate the existing facilities, identify areas for improvement as well as address any issues affecting the sector.
Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Raja Yaqoob and other officers of Tourism Department were present on the occasion.
Dr. Abid highlighted the need for continuously upgrading facilities and services at tourist locations to meet evolving traveler expectations and attract more tourists towards Jammu & Kashmir. He emphasized the significance of maintaining world-class facilities and services at tourist destinations to attract more domestic and international visitors towards the region.
The Tourism Secretary also highlighted the role played by tourism in economic growth and employment generation and said that there is need for constant evaluation and improvement in facilities at tourist destinations to stay competitive in the global tourism landscape.
Examining different issues and problems faced by the sector, the Secretary specifically directed strict enforcement of rates and tariffs for the tourism services at tourist destinations for which he directed the Enforcement wing of the Department to carry regular and routine checks to look into any kind of overcharging, touting or cheating by any service provider. He also directed installation of display boards at prominent tourist destinations regarding rates and rules of different tourism services.
During the meeting, the Tourism Secretary also spoke about the Government’s commitment to develop and promote the tourism sector as a vital contributor to the local economy adding that the tourism sector is poised to achieve new heights and contribute significantly to the region’s economy in coming days. He also emphasized on the significance of collaboration and cooperation between the stakeholders and the Department to create a vibrant and inclusive tourism industry that benefits both the tourists and the local community.
Referring to the upcoming G20 event in Kashmir, Dr. Abid said that the upcoming Tourism Working Group meeting under the aegis of G20 will get the local tourism industry a big boost and it would position J&K’s tourism industry appropriately on the global canvas.
The meeting brought together key players from the tourism industry, including representatives from hotels, tour operators and other related organisations associated with the travel trade and hospitality sector besides senior officers of the Tourism Department.
During the meeting, the stakeholders held extensive discussions with the Tourism Secretary and his team of officers. They gave numerous suggestions for devising effective solutions and strategies to ensure the sustainable growth of the sector and brought many issues into the notice of the Tourism Secretary.(GNS)
SRINAGAR, MAY 06: Secretary Tourism & Culture, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah today directed constitution of helpline cum grievance redressal facility at TRC Srinagar /Jammu for tourists. He announced a regular monthly stakeholder consultation with the office bearers of various trade bodies of tourism sector to identify areas for improvement and devise strategies to overcome any challenges.
The directions were issued today during a marathon meeting-cum-interaction the Tourism Secretary had with the stakeholders of the tourism industry to discuss and evaluate the existing facilities, identify areas for improvement as well as address any issues affecting the sector.
Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Raja Yaqoob and other officers of Tourism Department were present on the occasion.
Dr. Abid highlighted the need for continuously upgrading facilities and services at tourist locations to meet evolving traveler expectations and attract more tourists towards Jammu & Kashmir. He emphasized the significance of maintaining world-class facilities and services at tourist destinations to attract more domestic and international visitors towards the region.
The Tourism Secretary also highlighted the role played by tourism in economic growth and employment generation and said that there is need for constant evaluation and improvement in facilities at tourist destinations to stay competitive in the global tourism landscape.
Examining different issues and problems faced by the sector, the Secretary specifically directed strict enforcement of rates and tariffs for the tourism services at tourist destinations for which he directed the Enforcement wing of the Department to carry regular and routine checks to look into any kind of overcharging, touting or cheating by any service provider. He also directed installation of display boards at prominent tourist destinations regarding rates and rules of different tourism services.
During the meeting, the Tourism Secretary also spoke about the Government’s commitment to develop and promote the tourism sector as a vital contributor to the local economy adding that the tourism sector is poised to achieve new heights and contribute significantly to the region’s economy in coming days. He also emphasized on the significance of collaboration and cooperation between the stakeholders and the Department to create a vibrant and inclusive tourism industry that benefits both the tourists and the local community.
Referring to the upcoming G20 event in Kashmir, Dr. Abid said that the upcoming Tourism Working Group meeting under the aegis of G20 will get the local tourism industry a big boost and it would position J&K’s tourism industry appropriately on the global canvas.
The meeting brought together key players from the tourism industry, including representatives from hotels, tour operators and other related organisations associated with the travel trade and hospitality sector besides senior officers of the Tourism Department.
During the meeting, the stakeholders held extensive discussions with the Tourism Secretary and his team of officers. They gave numerous suggestions for devising effective solutions and strategies to ensure the sustainable growth of the sector and brought many issues into the notice of the Tourism Secretary.
SRINAGAR: In the Kashmir division of the UT, cases of cybercrime and online fraud have been surging with great intensity, causing distress to not only individuals but also organizations and sectors.
In a shocking incident, 11 tourists from Gujarat were apprehended in Gulmarg, the globally acclaimed ski resort located in North Kashmir, as they attempted to sneak through the cableway Gondola using counterfeit and altered tickets.
The authorities were previously stunned when they caught 28 tourists from Mumbai in April, who were found with bogus Gondola tickets in Gulmarg. It was later revealed that these tourists were provided with fake tickets by their tour operator in Mumbai.
In an official statement, a spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC) said that the ticket scanning team of Gulmarg Gondola Project caught a group of 28 passengers from Mumbai at the scanning point of Gulmarg Gondola station. “These passengers were carrying edited fake tickets through their tour Manager Makrand Anand Ghanekar S/o Anand Ghanekar of Mumbai,” reads the statement.
Miscreants sell fake Gondola tickets aiming to ruin the reputation of the tourist site, affecting citizens involved in Gulmarg tourism. Locals now want the ticketing system converted back to offline mode to limit illegal sales.
President Guide Association Gulmarg, Manzoor Lone, said that online tickets affected 80 percent of the livelihood of tourist guides in Gulmarg. Lone said that online ticketing has hampered their ability to support themselves. People working as tourist guides in Gulmarg and at ticket counters, who were accommodated by offline ticketing, are now facing the consequences.
“Earlier we used to have 30% of the quota, but when the system was switched to online mode, the quotas were removed, which resulted in many problems,” he claimed, “that when the system was converted to online one, we were not taken into account.”
Presently, there are 918 people who are all enrolled members of the Gulmarg Guide Association. “As of now, offline ticketing is also happening, although Gulmarg officials have been referring to it as VIP quota. There are 400 offline ticket reservations. Due to their inability to cope up with the situation and make a living out of it, some guides have been compelled to engage in black marketing of tickets, though we are against them and don’t support such acts,” stated Lone.
Manzoor claimed that though this issue has been discussed with the higher authorities of the J&K UT, no action was taken.
A tourist guide, on grounds of anonymity, said, “I and many other guides like me, we are facing the brunt of the online ticketing system, and we want the government to look into this matter as soon as possible.”
Despite multiple calls, Ghulam Jeelani Zargar, CEO of the Gulmarg Development Authority and Managing Director of the JK Cable Car Corporation, did not respond.
SRINAGAR: A tourist from Bangalore died in Gulmarg area of North Kashmir Baramulla district on Friday.
An official told news agency—Kashmir Scroll that a lady tourist namely Jyothsana wife of Narayan Talkad resident of Banglore fell unconscious during Gandola ride in Gulmarg.
He said tourist was taken for medical check up to PHC Gulmarg where doctors declared her brought dead.
Inquest proceedings have been started in this regard, he said—(KS)
SRINAGAR: A tourist from Ahmadabad Gujarat died on Monday late night in Srinagar.
An official said that a tourist namely Nazir Tejabwala (77) son of Sabbir Hussain resident of Kagdiwed Ahmadabad fell unconscious and was shifted to SMHS Srinagar where she breathed her last.
Meanwhile medico-legal formalities are being conducted and further proceedings have been taken up—(KS)
SRINAGAR: A tourist from Chhattisgarh died of Cardiac arrest in Bijbehara area of South Kashmir Anantnag district on Monday.
An official said that a man identified as Zaiauddin Sheikh (67), from Raipur Chattisgarh fell unconscious in Bijbehara area. He was shifted to SDH Bijbehara where doctors declared him brought dead.
Meanwhile further proceedings in this regard have been started. (KS)
