KL Report
Jammu
To promote adventure tourism in Jammu region and to catch the attention of adventure lovers, a 4-day long International Rafting Championship commenced from today in river Chenab for the first time. Minister for tourism, Ghulam Ahmad Mir inaugurated the event which was organized by the state tourism department.
The International Rafting Federation has provided technical supervision of the event and recognized J&K Rafting Cup to be awarded to the winner team, besides J&K Rafting Association is also providing technical know how during the event.
Director International Rafting Federation Joe Alice and rafting expert, Natali are the judges of the event.
As per a statement rafting teams from Australia, Nepal, Czech and Slovok republics, besides rafting teams of army, J&K police, Kashmir rafting team and Jammu rafting team are participating in the event. A 10-km river patch from Thathri to Prem Nagar Doda has been identified for the safe and adventurous rafting competition during the event.
Addressing a public gathering on the occasion, the tourism minister said that government is keen to restore the tourism glory of the state and exploit its potential in adventure tourism. He said adventure tourism holds great potential to generate jobs for the state’s people, especially the youth adding that it should also receive focused attention along with conventional and pilgrim tourism in the Chenab Valley which has a good rafting potential.
The Minister said that it is the first ever international rafting event in river Chenab to explore new adventure tourism potential in Doda and attract international teams and tourists to this place.
The Minister said that about one hundred unemployed youth of Doda district would be trained in river rafting skills with the objective that they adopt this as profession and generate income for livelihood. He said the government would provide easy loans with subsidy to these youth for managing own rafts for promotion of river tourism in the belt.
