Union Minister Piyush Goyal enjoyed a pleasant time on Sunday while taking a 'shikara' ride on famous Dal Lake during his visit to Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. Descrbing the place as 'gift from God' Goyal said peace should prevail for economy to boost for the people of UT.
Underscoring the prevalence of peace, the Minister said in ligher vein, "Even my Shikara's name is Peace of Heaven. The peace I experience when I come to Dal Lake takes me back to my school days. I haven't forgotten my childhood memories. God has given a heaven to the country."
Goyal lauded the locals for their support during Operation Sindoor and added that tourism is growing as Amarnath Yatra has begun. The Union Minister said, "We are indebted to the people of Kashmir for the way they supported Operation Sindoor and stood firm against terrorism. Like we have decided to end Naxalism by 2026, I am confident that together we will eradicate terrorism from its roots." Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir took a hit after the April 223 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people on April 23.
Addressing reporters, Goyal said that tourism in Kashmir will boom due to the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, which will lead to growth in the economy. "Now, the Amarnath Yatra has also started, and tourists have also come to Gulmarg. People have done homestays here. Today, home stay will start in thousands of houses, their income will increase, and Kashmir's economy will also grow," he said.
Meanwhile in Srinagar, the Union Minister met with various delegations and listened to their issues.
"Today, I met many delegations. The state government and the central government are jointly paying attention to all their issues and will give a boost to the industry and trade here like the Modi government brought a Rs 28000 crore scheme earlier," Goyal said. Goyal said that he will try to reduce GST on handicrafts to 5 per cent."We have discussed with you people about handicrafts here. Give me its draft. I will try to reduce the GST to 5 per cent so that the production of handicrafts here can increase. There has been a discussion about opening an assembly centre. We will open that too," he said.
The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry also met with representatives of the Jammu-Kashmir Fruits and Vegetable Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association (JKPICCA) in Srinagar on Sunday.The meeting focused on strategies to sustain industrial development in the cold chain and agro-processing sectors, crucial for strengthening J-K's agricultural economy and boosting exports.
Earlier today, Goyal addressed the FTII Traders Conclave - 2025 in Srinagar and promised to work for the a reduction in the Goods and Services Tax imposed on handicrafts and handloom products to help promote the sector. "The issue of GST levied on handicrafts and handlooms was brought to my attention by two or three system delegations. I have suggested that they submit an application regarding this matter to the Finance Ministry as well as to me so that we can explore what relief can be provided.
The Union Minister said that Jammu and Kashmir will soon get a Centre of Excellence for Packaging and Design."I have directed officials to explore possibilities in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Packaging to initiate a project focused on quality packaging and design.
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