J&K's Shopian dist to get new tourism development authority

Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today announced that a new Shopian-Pir Ki Gali-Dubjan Tourism Development Authority will be constituted to bring the Shopian district on the tourism map of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sayeed made the announcement for creating the new Tourism Development Authority during a visit to the south Kashmir district, an official spokesman said.
To make the Mughal Road more reliable, he also indicated that the construction of tunnels in the vulnerable stretches of the road will be taken up with the Centre for funding.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the new Mini-Secretariat Complex and also laid the foundation stone of a Mega Fruit Mandi.

While the Mini-Secretariat will house all line departments under one roof and facilitate public delivery in the relatively new district, the flourishing horticulture industry of Shopian will receive a huge fillip by setting up of the new fruit mandi, the spokesman said.
Highlighting the huge tourism potential of Shopian, Sayeed said the creation of a new development authority will bring into limelight some of the most scenic places in the district.

"Beauty is in great abundance here and one needs to travel on the historic Mughal Road to catch a glimpse of its stunning beauty," he added.
Describing Shopian as an intellectually fertile district, the Chief Minister also referred to the significant contribution of horticulture and handicraft industry which sustained J&K's economy when it fell on hard times, spokesman said.

He also made specific mention of the government's plan to offer Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to farmers in the apple towns of Shopian and Sopore by procuring C-grade fruit to maintain quality and crop insurance which covers farmers against the vagaries of weather.
"I have asked Horticulture Minister to strengthen the enforcement wing so that sale of spurious pesticides is also controlled," he added.