Business Archives | Page 44 of 107

Soon, Walk amid Snow Leopards and Himalayan Bears at Kashmir’s first Zoo in Pahalgam Valley

February 20, 2018 Editor

There is good news for animal lovers. Kashmir’s maiden zoo in the stunning Pahalgam valley will be a reality in few years. The zoo, spread over 47 hectares, will initially have over 20 species for display and will be set up at a cost of Rs 100 crore. It will house native species like the leopard, Himalayan black and brown bears, spotted deer, musk deer, Hangul – the Kashmiri stag – and the goat antelope species of Serow, Goral, Markhor. Grey Langoors, leopard cat and even the prized snow leopard…

Efforts on to make tourism main engine of state’s economic growth: J&K Govt

February 19, 2018February 19, 2018 Editor

The Jammu and Kashmir government has adopted a multipronged strategy to harness the tourism potential of the state and make the sector the principle engine of its economic growth, Tourism Minister Tassaduq Mufti said. The minister, who visited Poonch yesterday to explore the possibilities of developing tourism infrastructure in the district, “A multipronged strategy has been adopted to harness the tourism potential and position Jammu and Kashmir as the leading global tourist destination.” “The idea is to make the tourism sector as the principle engine of the state’s economic growth,”…

Walnut trade register drastic dip in prices

February 19, 2018 Editor

The walnut farmers and traders in Kashmir are worried about the decline in prices of Kashmiri walnut due to large imports from California and Chile. According to traders, Rs 800 crore industry is in deep crisis with prices falling drastically due to large imports of California and Chile produced walnuts. “Kashmiri walnuts producers and traders are suffering badly and Centre and state governments are watching as mute spectators. Walnuts grown in Kashmir particularly Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora are purely organic, as no fertilizer or pesticide was used…

Hamulla: The Bat manufacturing village of Kashmir

February 7, 2018 Editor

Like in the Kashmir Valley, Sopore town and Pampore town are famous for the production of apples and saffron respectively. Similarly, in Anantnag district of south Kashmir, village identified as Halmulla Sangam, recognizes its identity for manufacturing cricket bats. The vital part of the Halmulla Sangam is that this entire village consisting of around 100 families is associated with cricket bat making business. Most of the families are those who have been associated with the cricket bat making industry for the last 40 years. People associated with this business said…

Kashmir is the safest place, say women travelers

February 6, 2018 Editor

From joy rides on snow scooters to shopping in a floating market in the scenic Dal Lake, Kashmir has it all to make it ‘the safest place and a shopping paradise’, according to a group of women travelers from Hyderabad, who are out on an expedition to Jammu and Kashmir. Keeping aside the insecurities arising after continuous violence in the state, the women travelers visited Srinagar, including Gulmarg and Pahalgam. “I have been here and knew all the media stories on Kashmir are overplayed which creates fear among travelers,” Rashida…

AAI Serves termination notice to local shopkeepers at Srinagar airport, Owners protest, Allege bias

February 6, 2018 Editor

Shopkeepers at the Srinagar airport today staged a protest here after they were asked to vacate the premises by the authorities. The protesters, who gathered at the Press Enclave, alleged that there were being discriminated against as a large number of shopkeepers and salesmen would be rendered jobless. “Some time ago, a tender was floated for leasing out the entire space at the airport to a master concessionaire, who would in turn run it as per his convenience. The qualification for tendering were fixed in such a way that hardly…

Budget 2018 – Key Highlights

February 1, 2018 Editor

* Arun Jaitley says that the government does not propose any changes in tax slabs this year. * FM proposes a fiscal deficit of 3.3% of GDP for 2018-19. * Finance Minister Arun Jaitley proposes revising emoluments as per the following structure: — Rs 5 lakh for the President of India — Rs 4 lakh for the Vice President — Rs 3.5 lakh for the Governors * Jaitley also proposes automatic revision of emoluments of Parliamentarians every five years, indexed to inflation. * We have already exceeded our disinvestment target,…

KCCI objects to proposed land transfer to police dept

February 1, 2018 Editor

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president Javid Ahmad Tenga has expressed resentment over the proposed transfer of HMT Watch Factory industrial land to the police department. “It is unfortunate that the state government is contemplating to transfer industrial land retrieved from the HMT Watch Factory, Zainakot, to the police department for a housing colony,” Tenga said in a statement. “The KCCI had recommended that the chunk of land along with infrastructure created by the erstwhile HMT factory be converted into a gem and jewellery park. The proposal has…

WGFI & IISM celebrated World Snow Day at Gulmarg

January 23, 2018 Editor

The Winter Games Federation of India in association with the Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM) celebrated World Snow Day in Gulmarg on Sunday. A statement issued by the institute said the day was celebrated all over the world to ‘bring children to snow and promote snow sports among our future generations’. It said 90 children from Kashmir and many from other statesparticipated in the celebrations. JS Dhillon, Director, IISM, said many children were interested to pursue snow sports but there was a huge gap in the knowledge on…

Tourism in doldrums, footfall down in last 6 years

January 15, 2018 Editor

The government’s claim of creating tourism infrastructure in the state has fallen flat as the number of tourists arrivals in the state is decreasing with each passing year. Except the Vaishno Devi shrine and the Amarnath cave, almost all other tourist destinations in the state have witnessed a dip in tourists in the last six years. The Tourism Department last year spent a huge amount by participating in two international events at Berlin and Thailand, but it failed to attract foreign tourists. The state also organised 22 national travel marts…