Vibrant tourism imperative for employment generation, regional development: Satish Sharma

Udhampur, Dec 31: Minister for FCS&CA, IT, Transport, Youth Services and Sports, ARI & Trainings Satish Sharma Wednesday said that promotion of winter tourism, cultural heritage and sports-linked activities is central to the government’s strategy for employment generation, regional development and youth engagement.
The Minister was speaking at the concluding function of the two-day Patnitop–Sanasar Winter Carnival-2025.
“With large tourist footfall and enthusiastic participation of locals, the carnival reflected the growing success of the Omar Abdullah-led Government’s vision of transforming Jammu and Kashmir into a vibrant all-season tourism and youth activity hub”, the Minister maintained.
The Minister said that Patnitop and Sanasar are being positioned as flagship winter destinations of the Jammu region. He added that the government is committed towards upgrading the tourism infrastructure, improving connectivity and enhancing the visitor facilities. He added that the festivals like the Winter Carnival not only attract the tourists but also create sustainable livelihood opportunities for local people, artisans, performers and small entrepreneurs.
Satish Sharma lauded the Tourism Department, Patnitop Development Authority and district administrations for organising a professionally managed and vibrant event. He stated that the scale and success of the carnival demonstrated Jammu and Kashmir’s rising stature on the national tourism map.
The Minister called upon the people, especially the youth, to become partners in promoting tourism, culture and sports. He asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is rapidly emerging as a hub of tourism, talent and opportunity under the present government.
The Minister also congratulated the renowned Punjabi singer Ninja and his team for their electrifying performance, which became one of the biggest attractions of the festival.
The carnival featured an exciting blend of folk culture, live band performances, adventure and leisure activities including horse riding, open-mic competitions, ethnic food stalls and a colourful street bazaar, creating a festive ambience that delighted visitors of all age groups.
Senior dignitaries including DDC Chairman Ramban Dr Shamshad Shan, MLA Chenani Balwant Singh Mankotia, Deputy Commissioner Ramban Mohammad Alyas Khan, Director Tourism Jammu Vikas Gupta, SSP Ramban Arun Gupta, SSP Traffic Adil Hamid, Additional Deputy Commissioner Udhampur Prem Singh and CEO PDA Virender Kumar Manyal were also present on the occasion.
Director Tourism, Jammu, Vikas Gupta briefed the gathering about the ongoing and upcoming initiatives to further develop Patnitop and Sanasar as premier winter tourism destinations.