KARGIL, MAY 03, 2021: Secretary Tourism and Culture UT Ladakh Kacho Mehboob Ali Khan reviewed the functioning of Tourism, Ladakh Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (LAACL) and Libraries during a meeting with the concerned officers at Tourist Facilitation Centre Biamathang here today.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Kargil Development Authority Ghulam Mohiuddin Wani, Assistant Director Tourism Aga Syed Toha, Executive Engineer R&B-II Kacho Mehmood Ali Khan, Executive Engineer Kargil Development Authority Sajjad Hussain Wazir, Special Officer for Cultural Activities, LAACL Kargil Muhammad Ali Tak, Senior Librarian Zahoor Ahmad besides other concerned officers were present in the meeting.

While reviewing the functioning of the Tourism Department, Secretary Tourism instructed officers to work dedicatedly in creating proper infrastructure and amenities to attract more tourists while providing them best world class facilities.

He focused on development of wayside amenities and pointed out the need to develop integrated facility cum tourist facilitation centres at entry point in the district, adding he instructed the officers to identify state land to complete the project within a period of 2 years.

“To design logo for the Tourism Department, public entries were invited however, the entries were not satisfactory, and thus entries would be re-invited so as to design a comprehensive and inclusive logo for the department”, the Secretary said.

He further said that signages for all tourist facilities including wayside facilities and heritage sites will also be prepared on a large scale once the logo is finalized.

While underlining the need to incorporate the elements of traditional aesthetics in various tourism buildings, the Secretary instructed the officers to develop and refurbish incoming infrastructures with local architectural designs both internally and externally. He said that the tourists should get a feeling that they are in Ladakh.

The Secretary Tourism further said that the UT Administration is keen to introduce adventure safari, astro-tourism, boating, diving, rafting, mountaineering, establishment of fishing sites, activities related to winter tourism besides other tourism oriented activities to attract more tourists in the region and stressed officers to identify suitable state land in this regard.

Taking stock of the progress of works under KDA, the Secretary said that the UT Administration is planning to set up a state of the art convention centre in Kargil.

He directed the concerned officers to look for an appropriate location for establishment of this project.
Meanwhile, the Secretary also reviewed the functioning of Libraries in the district.

The Secretary was informed that there is 1 district library, 3 Tehsil libraries and 3 border block libraries with 19 staff. However, currently there is only 9 staff to run the whole setup and the libraries except the district library is functioning in rented rooms.

The Secretary also revived the functioning of the LAACL Kargil and while underlining the need to construct a cultural centre in Kargil said that such a center will be set up at a suitable location in due course of time.