The Jammu and Kashmir administration and a leading global chain of hotels and vacation homes, OYO, on Thursday launched rural homestay project ‘Crown of Incredible India’ in an event presided over by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhawan here.
The LG announced ₹50,000 special financial assistance to youth willing to set up a homestay unit.
“We are making attempts to encourage micro-entrepreneurs in villages and revitalising local art and craft besides redevelopment of rural areas,” added the LG.
“Nature has blessed J&K with great scenic beauty and rural homestays will offer a piece of eternal culture, cuisine, traditions, and warm hospitality to domestic and international travellers,” he said.
By December this year, at least 200 homestays will be available on OYO platform, he added.
The UT government under Mission Youth will support 500 youngsters for building homestays, Sinha said.
He asked the DDCs, PRI representatives and other stakeholders to tap into the huge tourism potential of rural J&K.
Chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta said the project will create new entrepreneurs, provide gainful employment to the rural youth and strengthen the rural economy.
{{/usCountry}}Chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta said the project will create new entrepreneurs, provide gainful employment to the rural youth and strengthen the rural economy.
{{/usCountry}}Ritesh Agarwal, founder and group CEO, OYO, said they were proud of their partnership with the Jammu & Kashmir government.
OYO has tied up with 20 homestays in Pahalgam and 10 homestays are present on their platform as on date. The project also aims to improve tourism in under-penetrated areas in Udhampur, Doda, Pahalgam and Kokernag.
J&K inks pact with New Zealand G2G for transforming sheep farming
The J&K administration also signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) for transforming sheep farming sector in the UT.
The virtual MoC signing ceremony was presided over by LG Sinha at Raj Bhawan. The MoC was signed by principal secretary, animal and sheep husbandry department, Navin Kumar Choudhary and executive director, New Zealand G2G, Mischa Mannix-Opie as a mutual commitment between J&K and New Zealand for complementing each other’s capability in sheep sector.
Sinha said the new partnership between J&K and New Zealand will boost production and productivity in livestock sector of the UT.
Overarching objective of the MoC is to improve farmers’ remuneration, transfer of technology in research and development as well as marketing and value addition of sheep products of J&K, Sinha said.
New Zealand G2G, a public-sector entity actively partnering with other Indian states to leverage expertise and solutions for sustainable development, has entered into a cooperation agreement with J&K to encourage collaboration in the field of sheep husbandry, capacity building, technology transfer and training.
“The new partnership is aimed at doubling produce in the next three years with substantial increment in quality of livestock products, wool production and introducing processing facilities and value addition to boost income and benefits to Jammu and Kashmir,” the LG further added.
He said, “We are creating an enabling environment for the integrated growth of livestock sector that is providing livelihood support to around 1.2 million families and contributing 5% to the UT’s GDP.”