JK Govt sanctions soft package loans to taxi operators

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Fresh stat level route permits on anvil

With a view to provide modern and quality transport facilities to the visiting tourists, the Government has decided and sanctioned soft package loans to the taxi operators of the state, said the Tourism Minister Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora here today during his meeting with the representatives of Kashmir Tourist Taxi Transporters Federation.

Minister of State for Tourism Mr. Nasir Aslam Wani was also present on the occasion and Secretary Transport Mr. K.B. Jandial and Director Tourism Kashmir Mr. Farooq Ahmad Shah also attended the meeting.

Tourism Minister said that under the package incentives, loans and fresh route permits would be given to the intending unemployed youth desirous to purchase their taxis to earn their livelihood under tourism sector. He said under the scheme the taxi operators can replace their old vehicles by new ones.

On the demand of representatives of taxi operators, the Minister said that state level fresh route permits for taxis would be issued after completing all codal formalities well in time. He directed the transport authorities to expedite the formulation of guidelines and issue state level route permits to the taxi operators well in time so that the visiting tourists could not face any inconvenience while visiting varied tourist destinations of the state.

Mr. Jora said that keeping in view of global competition in tourism sector the need of choiceable transport facility as well as quality boarding and lodging facilities has become imperative in the state. He said the state government has taken up various innovative initiatives to upgrade the world class infrastructure at all tourist destinations and promotion and development of new identified tourist spots in the state is on war footing basis.

The Minister called upon the taxi operators and other transporters to maintain high quality transport facilities for the tourists and ensure that government fixed rates should be overcharge to them. He cautioned them that those taxi operators who overcharged the fare to the tourists would be strictly dealt with under rules.

Mr. Jora assured all logical support to the transporters from the government and sought their cooperation for promoting tourism sector in the state which he said is pivotal to uplift the economy of the state.