Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday visited Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam where he met delegations of recently elected Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) members and a delegation of Industrialists from the Kashmir valley.
The Union Minister inspected stalls put up by various departments including Animal Husbandry, District Industries, ICDS, Social Welfare, Horticulture, Sheep Husbandry, Handloom and Handicrafts department among others.
Union Development Commissioner Handicrafts, Shantmanu, Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Ranjan P Thakur, Commissioner Secretary FCS&CA, Zubair Ahmad, DDC Chairman Anantnag, DC Anantnag and other officials of district administration were present on the occasion.
Piyush Goyal, while interacting with various officials at the stalls, took a brief description of the various products on display. He also inquired regarding the production of these products. He specially laid emphasis on promoting products that can add up to the export potential of the UT. He gave directions to the district administration to extend all possible support to the local entrepreneurs and artisans for increasing productivity.
The minister also distributed baby kits among newly born female infants under the BetiBachaoBetiPadhao scheme. Under the LadliBeti scheme, grants were distributed among beneficiaries. He distributed sanction letters among beneficiaries for the purchase of milk vans. Tricycles were also distributed among specially-abled persons through the social welfare department.
Goyal, while appreciating the efforts of the district administration in taking PRIs onboard, assured the PRIs of speedy redressal of all the grievances raised. He directed the district administration to work out plans for homestay tourism in Pahalgam that will both boost the local economy and add to the tourist potential of Pahalgam. He laid emphasis on the role of PRIs as public representatives and conduits for directing grievances of the common masses to the district administration.
The minister assured the delegation of the industrialists of all possible support from the central government for the promotion of local industries. Taking immediate action on bottlenecks faced in the export of shawls and directed the authorities to set up testing facilities at Srinagar and Delhi airport while simultaneously upgrading the local testing facilities with state of the art machines.
He also proposed the setting up of a carpet village that will act as a demonstration centre of the local craft to visiting tourists and also promote the local carpet industry globally. He laid stress on the fact that local industry players should play by their strengths and set up units where the UT has a comparative advantage to ensure sustenance of the industries being set up.
The Minister is on a two-day visit and will inaugurate various developmental works.
( With inputs from ANI )
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