Harsh Vardhan Shringla Chief Coordinator, G20 on Sunday said that the third G20 tourism working group meeting to be held in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar will help in the revival of tourism in the Valley.
Referring to the G20 tourism working group meeting to be held from May 22 – 24, India’s G20 presidency Chief Coordinator Shringla said that this will be the most significant meeting which will be held in Jammu and Kashmir.
“It has been teamwork, of course. All of us have worked very closely together. But the union territory really has gone out of its way, taken it as a matter of pride. The union territory looked at the G20 as an opportunity. And I’m sure if the G 20 is the most significant international event we have held in India ever, this will be the most significant event ever in Jammu and Kashmir”, Shringla said.
Appreciating the efforts of the state administration, Shringla said, “I want to convey a very, very grateful thanks to the efforts the administration has put up here. You see, at every G20 meeting, the role of states and Union territories is critical. The central government can do this to a certain level. But at the end of the day, the state’s role and the state’s contribution are critical to the success of any G20 meeting in our country.
So it is important to mention that the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir led by the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Secretary, and an incredible and absolutely outstanding team of officers have worked day and night to make this event a success.”
Speaking at a joint press conference alongside Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, and Rakesh Kumar Verma, Additional Secretary of Tourism, Chief Coordinator Shringla said, “We are now at an approximate halfway point in our presidency of the G20. In the last approximately six months, we have completed 118 meetings in 46 different cities across the length and breadth of our country.”
Commenting on the works in progress in Srinagar as part of the meeting, he said that there was a lot of effort to complete the work relating to the Smart City project and the place has completely transformed since then. “We also looked at many of the areas that we could put to work that were relevant to the G20”, he added.
“At least a year and a half prior to this actual event, the G20 Secretariat and members of the Ministry of Tourism have been visiting Srinagar. And I can say with all sincerity that as we drive around the city, we see a completely transformed Srinagar. We’ve gone to the markets, riverfront, lake area and to many of the other places that we visited the last time. And we found that Srinagar today is vastly more beautiful”, the Chief Coordinator said.
Shringla added that the facilities and amenities in Srinagar have improved. “There is a lot of pride when we talk to many of the citizens when we move around the city. Some of the systems that have been introduced, whether it is underground optic fibers, sewage systems, water or drainage, I think from that perspective it is truly a smart city of the type that we would like to showcase to the rest of the world”, he said.
“As a very large number of international delegates would come from some of the most influential countries across the world, I think we can say with pride that this is one of our most beautiful nationally scenic, but also one of the most beautiful urban environments that we can present to our guests from across the world”, Shringla said.
The Chief Coordinator further said that what is relevant to Jammu and Kashmir and the people of the region has been highlighted in the tourism working group meeting. “We have tried to bring in specific elements of tourism. Whether it is sustainable tourism, ecotourism, adventure tourism, or film tourism. What is relevant to J&K and the people of this place is what is being highlighted in this tourism working group meeting”, he said.
“As you also know that the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to ensure that the message of India’s G20 presidency is taken down to the grassroots level through the ‘Jan Bhagidari’ process. And so a lot of efforts have been made to sensitize people in our country about G20. And that is why we’ve also held it in locations across our country, north, southeast and west. And in that context, I think a lot of effort has been done in Jammu and Kashmir in terms of the events that have been held on G20”, the chief coordinator said.
Appreciating the events held as part of the G20 meeting, he said that the team was impressed by the programs held in the region including the walkathons, cycle events and awareness rallies.
“We ourselves have seen there’s a lot of effort and excitement in the city and in the state, in the Union territory, on the potentials that can come forward. We’ve seen women’s self-care groups we’ve seen many groups mobilize”, he added.
(ANI)