Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday encouraged people to diversify the Uttarakhand tourism sector and promoted the winter tourism program and said that there should be no weather of season.
Addressing a public rally in Harsil, Prime Minister Modi said that tourists need to see the “splendor” of Uttarakhand in winter, they emphasized the need to make it ‘twelve months’.
Prime Minister Modi said, “There is a need to diversify the tourism sector and we need to make it ‘perennial’, ie 365 days. It is very important for Uttarakhand. I want that there is no season off-season in Uttarakhand. Even during the off-season, tourism should continue.”
He said, “As you all know, a large number of tourists come in the months of March, April, May and June, but after that the number decreases. In winter, hotels, resorts, homestands remain empty, this creates an imbalance. If people travel to Devbhoomi in winter, they will become a witness to the pride of Uttarakhand.”
The Prime Minister also reiterated that the next decade would be from Uttarakhand and Kedarnath’s blessings are turning it into reality.
He said, “A few years ago when I went to visit Baba Kedarnath, after Baba’s darshan and worship, suddenly some expressions came out of my mouth and I said that this decade would be the decade of Uttarakhand”.
PM Modi said, “Those words were mine, the feelings were mine, but the power that gave the strength behind him was given by Baba Kedarnath himself. I see that with the blessings of Baba Kedar, those words, those feelings are slowly turning into reality. This decade is becoming the decade of Uttarakhand.”
Apart from this, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the development in the state under the ‘double engine’ government, referring to the Kedarnath Ropeway Project and Hemkund Ropeway Project.
PM Modi said, “Our double engine government is working together to make Uttarakhand a developed state. In the last 10 years, Chardham All Weather Road, Modern Expressway, Railways, Railways and Helicopter Services have been expanded rapidly in the last 10 years. Yesterday, the Union Cabinet has approved the Kedarnath Ropeway Project and Hemkund Ropeway Project. The Kedarnath Yatra will be completed for the elderly and children in 30 minutes.
Prime Minister Modi also expressed his condolences to the victims of avalanche in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
The Prime Minister said, “I express my condolences to the unfortunate incident in Mana a few days ago and people who lost their lives … The unity showed by the country in this difficult situation gave great strength to the families suffering.”
The Uttarakhand government has started the Winter Tourism Program this year. Thousands of devotees have already traveled to the winter sites of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. The purpose of this program is to promote religious tourism and promote local economy, homestay and tourism business.
