Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has proposed setting up a Tribal Tourism Village at Bhera in Mendhar subdivision of Poonch district, with Tribal Affairs Minister Javed Ahmed Rana directing officials to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the project.
Rana chaired a meeting at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday to review the proposed project, which is envisaged to include tourism infrastructure, facilities for visitors, promotion of tribal culture and livelihood opportunities for local communities.
The minister directed the concerned department to engage a consultant to prepare a comprehensive DPR covering infrastructure, tourism facilities, cultural components and other required interventions.
Rana said the project should showcase the traditions, crafts, cuisine and lifestyle of tribal communities while providing visitors with an authentic cultural experience. He called for community participation and opportunities for local residents through homestays, handicrafts, cultural activities, eco-tourism and other sustainable tourism ventures.
He also stressed coordination among departments to identify and incorporate all necessary interventions in the DPR so that the project could be taken forward in a planned manner.
Rana said development of tribal and border areas was a government priority and stressed that such initiatives should generate tangible livelihood and development opportunities for local communities.
The meeting was attended by the Engineer-in-Chief, Public Works (Roads and Buildings) Department, Director Tribal Affairs, Deputy Director, Tribal Research Institute, Deputy Director, Planning, Tourism Department and Executive Engineer, Public Works (R&B) Division, Mendhar.