Direct rail link to Kashmir bound to boost floriculture sector in J&K: Omar Abdullah

JAMMU: With rail connectivity from Kanyakumari to Kashmir likely to complete next month, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the link provides an opportunity to give a big boost to the floriculture sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

Chairing a meeting of the department of floriculture, parks and gardens at the Civil Secretariat here to review its functioning and discuss strategies to enhance the sector’s potential, he emphasized the need to leverage the rail link to market Kashmir’s flowers across India and globally.

The chief minister highlighted the immense opportunities in the floriculture sector, especially with Kashmir soon to be connected with the rest of the country through the railways.

“We must engage progressive growers and other stakeholders to fully realize the sector’s potential,” Abdullah said.

He directed the department to plant tulips along the airport road to enhance the aesthetic appeal and launch ad campaigns to attract more tourists to Srinagar’s iconic Tulip Garden.

Meanwhile, the chief minister also separately chaired a comprehensive review meeting of the Information Department, assessing its performance and deliberated on matters requiring improvement to enhance efficiency and outreach of the department.

During the meeting, Abdullah inquired about the functioning of the single-window portal for granting film shooting permissions, an official spokesman said.

The chief minister emphasized the need to streamline and expedite the process, ensuring that filmmakers receive approvals without unnecessary delays.

A detailed discussion was held on the advertisement policy for newspapers and media houses.

Stressing the importance of social media, Abdullah called for enhanced visibility of the Jammu and Kashmir government on digital platforms through targeted advertisements and campaigns.

Reviewing the accreditation process for journalists, the chief minister directed the department to revisit rejected applications.

He instructed the concerned officials to communicate discrepancies to the applicants, enabling them to rectify errors and secure accreditation. (PTI)