LG Sinha urges tourism push with CDF funds

Bijbehara, Aug 13: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday urged legislators to allocate at least half of their Constituency Development Fund (CDF) towards tourism, saying the investment could unlock the scenic and cultural potential of their constituencies.

“You have Rs 4 crore at your disposal. Even if you spend half on promoting tourism, it will help immensely,” Sinha told the gathering at the Bijbehara Premier League sports event at the town’s stadium.

He said the government and MLAs must work together to tap the potential of J&K’s heritage and natural attractions.

The remark followed a speech by the Member of Legislative Assembly of the ruling National Conference (NC), Syed Bashir Ahmad Shah (Veeri), who described Bijbehara as an ancient seat of learning with a rich plural heritage where Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Islam thrived side by side.

Veeri called for placing the town and surrounding villages along the Bijbehara-Pahalgam apple valley route firmly on the tourism map as both a scenic and a pilgrimage destination.

Recalling the town’s legacy, Veeri cited Buddhist Councils, visits by the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus, Guru Nanak, the Vijeshwar temple, and Mughal prince Dara Shikoh’s library.

He lamented the neglect of such heritage, saying it had weakened the region’s syncretic traditions.

“Kashmiri Pandits are our soul. I wish for their return,” he said, recalling the shared reverence for mystic poet Lal Ded and Sufi saint Sheikh-ul-Alam (RA), also known as Laleshwari and Nund Rishi.

Veeri warned that hiding this legacy had allowed “extreme ideologies” to take root and recited Urdu couplets, to which LG Sinha responded with his poetic flourish.

The LG lauded the civil society and locals for their role in ensuring the smooth conduct of this year’s Amarnath Yatra, which drew about 4.40 lakh yatris.

“Each will carry their experience to 40,000 more people, who will in turn tell 8 lakh others. They will be our brand ambassadors for Kashmir tourism,” he said.

LG Sinha said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, J&K had joined the rest of the country in “peace, progress, and development” over the past 11 years, and urged youth to participate in this “movement.”

“The aspirations of the people of J&K are now matching with the rest of the country,” he said.

The LG assured that the Centre would support tourism initiatives in Bijbehara and across J&K.