Tangmarg (Baramulla), Aug 25 | State Correspondents Bureau
Highlighting the diversified economic strength of Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emphasized that Kashmir’s identity is not solely tied to tourism, but is deeply anchored in agriculture, horticulture, and industry.
Speaking to reporters after laying the foundation stone for a modern fruit and vegetable mandi at Wussan Bangil in Tangmarg—an infrastructure project estimated at ₹15 to ₹20 crore—the Chief Minister addressed the widespread perception that the region relies almost exclusively on travel and hospitality.
Redefining Kashmir’s Economic Strengths
The Chief Minister observed that observers outside Jammu and Kashmir frequently assume the valley’s economy is singularly driven by tourism.
“We frequently tell them that farming, crops, fruits, and the industrial sector hold a major share in our economy, and then tourism,” CM Omar Abdullah stated.
He underlined that while areas like Tangmarg and Gulmarg are globally famous as premier tourist destinations, their agricultural and horticultural output form the true backbone of the rural economy.
Tangmarg Mandi to Empower Local Farmers
The upcoming ₹15–₹20 crore terminal market at Wussan Bangil is designed to resolve longstanding logistical bottlenecks for local growers:
- Direct Market Access: Farmers in the Gulmarg constituency and adjoining belts will no longer need to transport their yield to distant trading hubs, enabling them to sell locally and secure competitive market rates.
- Preserving Produce Quality: Minimizing transit distances will cut down transit damage and spoilage, ensuring higher market value for fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Road Infrastructure Upgrades: The administration will undertake widening and blacktopping of the approach roads leading to the facility to smoothly handle heavy transport vehicles and prevent congestion once the mandi becomes fully operational.
Critique of Past Inaction and Vision for Gulmarg
Targeting previous administrations over prolonged project delays, the Chief Minister questioned why the vital mandi project languished despite land being readily available.
“The land was here only, and nobody had illegally occupied it. Why did they still fail?” he asked, noting that political opponents often raise issues while ignoring foundational developmental needs.
CM Omar further announced that stalled construction on the local Mini Secretariat in Tangmarg will formally resume before the end of the year. Reaffirming his administration’s developmental agenda, he stated that the Gulmarg constituency is poised to emerge among the most developed of Jammu and Kashmir’s 90 Assembly constituencies over the next three and a half years.
