Category: Business

Business

Non-locals take away major chunk of jobs across Kashmir Valley

Editor

Even as unemployment level has increased in Kashmir the non-locals are doing most of the jobs here and have turned to shop keeping and vending as well. Most of the workforce of carpenters, painters and masons is now being provided by outsiders. In Lal Chowk non-locals could be seen running vends as well as working as salesmen. The trend raises questions on whether Kashmiri youth are only looking at government jobs as means of employment. At Sarai-Bala, near the Dastageer Sahab shrine, almost every stall owner is a non local.…

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Govt chooses Pahalgam over Gulmarg to ring in New Year

Editor

“We celebrated New Year at Pahalgam so that the resort would become popular as a winter destination. Pahalgam also receives good snowfall, besides it has a potential for winter adventure sports activities,” Mahmood A Shah, Kashmir Tourism Director The Tourism Department this year preferred Pahalgam resort over the bustling Gulmarg ski resort to usher in New Year. “This year, we celebrated New Year at Pahalgam to promote the destination for winter tourism. Pahalgam, which primarily is a summer destination, receives lesser tourist footfall in winter as compared to Gulmarg which…

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Tourists thronging Gulmarg for new year celebrations

Editor

After witnessing little to no visitors for more than a year now, tourism players in Kashmir at the end of 2017 have got a reason to cheer. Hotels in Gulmarg are jam-packed, as tourists from across the country are rushing towards this famous ski resort in north Kashmir on the New Year’s Eve. People associated with travel trade say other tourist destination in Kashmir have also witnessed a good number of hotel bookings. They say tourist arrivals started to pickup from December 23 to celebrate Christmas here and later stayed…

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Abhishek Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu to start shooting in Kashmir for Manmarziyan

Editor

Recently, it was found that Abhishek Bachchan will play the lead role in Anurag Kashyap’s upcoming film ‘Manmarziyan’. If rumours are to be believed, Junior Bachchan has replaced Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan, who was previously cast for the role. Produced by Aanand L Rai, the shooting is said to begin in February 2018 in Kashmir. The makers of the film are looking forward to shoot a romantic scene at a snowy landscape. The film also stars Vicky Kaushal, who was known for his performance in Masaan, who will be playing…

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Kashmir safe place for tourists : Priya Sethi

Editor

State Tourism Minister highlights its attractions “There is a false perception that Jammu and Kashmir is an unsafe place, so I request people from Tamil Nadu to visit us and see how the place has changed,” Priya Sethi, Minister of State for Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir, said at a roadshow in Chennai. “The State is a safe place for tourists and I would also like to point out that stone pelting has also come down in the region,” she said. The Minister was here along with a huge delegation from…

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Christmas spreads hope & cheer in ski resort of Gulmarg

Editor

Christmas has brought some good news for the tourism sector in the ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir. While a mass was held at the church, other places, like the Gulmarg Gondola, were illuminated. Most of the major hotels were booked as the Tourism Department has lined up a host of activities in the run up to the New Year. “All major hotels are sold out at Gulmarg….an early snowfall this year augured well for the tourism sector and a mass was held on the festive eve. The church,…

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Majority businesses boycotted pre-budget meeting with Finance Minister: JKCC

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Demands JK as free economic zone, revocation of GST Jammu and Kashmir Coordination Committee (JKCC) has expressed gratitude to all those member-organizations which followed its programme of boycotting their participation in pre-budget discussions with the Finance Minister. JKCC said overwhelming majority of business organizations including Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Fed¬eration (KTMF), Federation of Chambers of Industries Kashmir (FCIK), Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industries-Kashmir (CCIK), Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHARA),Kashmir Traders Federation (KTF), Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Union (KVGGDU), All Kashmir Chemists and…

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Industry body supports levy of toll tax at Lakhanpur

Editor

A delegation of Association of Industries led by its president Rattan Dogra met Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu and urged him that the levy of toll at Lakhanpur barrier must be continued so as to safeguard and protect the industry. The association submitted that the toll was never intended to be covered and subsumed under the GST. It said toll was levied in many states and National Highway Authority of India continued to collect it even at many points in J&K and elsewhere in the country. The minister promised the association…

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As tourist influx hits rock bottom hoteliers across valley forced to switch businesses

Editor

Owing to the continued slump in the tourist footfall, Kashmir hoteliers are switching their properties for other commercial use to recover the losses. Hoteliers also rue government’s attitude towards the industry in the backdrop of the financial losses they suffered for past many years. Abdul Wahid, President Kashmir Hotels and Restaurants Owners Federation (KHAROF), said that they haven’t received any compensation from the government of the losses. “The government didn’t even compensate us for 2014 floods which.” Although Kashmir witnessed political upheavals in 2008 and 2010, the things settled down…

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Low tourist arrivals has affected our livelihood: Houseboat Owners seek CM’s help

Editor

Kashmir Houseboat owners association (KHOA) Wednesday appealed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to announce compensation for them in view of low tourist arrivals in Kashmir. “Due to unfortunate unrest, the valley has witnessed total decline of tourism and incurred heavy loss to the tourism sector in general and in particular. The houseboat business due to unfavorable circumstances has suffered massive loss. As a result at present, most of the houseboat families are not in a condition to survive their daily livelihood properly,” said Hamid Wangnoo, convener HBOA in a statement. “Houseboats,…

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