Pahalgam attack fails to deter tourists in J&K: Amit Shah
Even after witnessing a horrific terrorist attack on tourists in the Baisaran valley of Pahalgam, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir continues to witness a surge in tourist arrivals. According to official sources, between January 1 and December 31, 2025, 1,77,65,390 tourists visited the Union Territory. Out of these, more than 36,000 foreign nationals also visited the serene locations across the region.
Acknowledging the heavy influx of tourists in the region, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated on Saturday that tourists from across India continue to show undiminished enthusiasm for visiting Jammu and Kashmir. He made these remarks while chairing a review meeting in Jammu to evaluate the progress of various development projects in the Union Territory.
“The enthusiasm of tourists from across the country to visit Jammu and Kashmir has not diminished. There is a need for aggressive marketing of Jammu and Kashmir’s tourist destinations in other states to explore the tourism potential available here,” he said.Shah said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre will provide all possible assistance in the plan to develop new tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir.In 2024, approximately 2.36 crore tourists visited the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
During 2023, 2.12 crore tourists visited. During the meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also undertook a comprehensive review of key sectors such as road infrastructure, power, industry, tourism, 4G and optical fibre connectivity. The meeting was attended by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Union Home Secretary, and senior officials from both the Central Government and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India remains firmly committed to the vision of building a developed and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir. He said that due to the continuous and dedicated efforts being made by the Modi government to accelerate development, the development projects in Jammu and Kashmir have made unprecedented progress. He said that Jammu and Kashmir needs to develop the full potential of its hydropower projects.
The Union Home Minister also emphasised that efforts should be made to develop sports infrastructure and establish sports academies to connect youth with development. He said efforts will be made to secure an investment of about ?200 crore by engaging with various sports bodies. He said that special focus should be laid on achieving 100 per cent saturation of the Government’s welfare schemes and ensuring that the benefits of all development projects reach the intended beneficiaries.
Shah also said that efforts should be made to promote the dairy sector in Jammu and Kashmir through the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).Marking a significant step, Jammu & Kashmir has been brought under the ambit of the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme for the first time in FY 2025-26, enabling access to 50-year interest-free loans for capital projects. The Home Minister underlined that strengthened fiscal discipline would assist in stabilising the UTs fiscal deficit over time.
Amit Shah stated that India is steadily progressing towards the goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, marking 100 years of independence. The Government of India will continue to extend wholehearted support to Jammu and Kashmir in pursuit of this goal, he added.
