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| Sidhra golf Course fails to promote local economy | | Is cheaper then Kashmir courses | | Shiv Dev Thakur
Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 4: Describing tourism as a corner stone of State's economy, ex- Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah in an inaugural function of golf course in 2011, stated the inauguration of Sidhra golf club as a step forward to develop sports tourism and to generate local economy of Jammu as well as the state, but this did not add much to state's economy owing to the functioning of the Sidhra Golf Club.
"The availability of golf Sports facility at Jammu would mean a lot to economy of Jammu as If we are able to attract even one percent of the huge number of pilgrims towards the Golf sport facility available here," said the Minister Tourism and Culture, Nawang Rigzin Jora in 2012 at the time of setting deadline for the completion of 2nd phase, instructing for creation of modern golf related infrastructure at the club building so that golf lovers visiting to the Course do not face any inconvenience, but Sources in sharp contrast said that no golf activity except for inaugural event since 2011 for attracting the tourists had been carried out and the facility was used for few golfers who occasionally visit the golf course.
Sources said that to create five golf courses, the J&K government has actually spent Rs 133 crore and the state's capital expenditure on overall sports has never crossed Rs 90 crore a year.
Sources further said that these golf courses require slightly more than 6 crore a year for maintenance and upkeep and the cumulative income has never crossed Rs 70 lakh. "Despite improving the local economy, the public money which is being spent on marketing of this expenditure is usually around Rs 20 lakh a year and is being spent through the directorate of tourism", said the sources.
Pertinently, sources said that Sidhra Golf course which was built for promoting the local economy of Jammu as per the words of then CM Omar Abdullah, ex-Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Minister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzin Jora and Minister of State for Tourism, Nasir Aslam Wani at the time of the inauguration of 1st phase, failed to promote local economy as is the lowest paid Golf course among all golf cources in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources again said that even the fee structures payable to the club by the Guest members is too low comparatively to the golf courses of Kashmir. Sources further said that even the Sidhra Club sans pro trainer.
Pro Trainer, Kashmir Golf Club when contacted by Early Times admitted the high fee structure collected by Golf Clubs at Kashmir and maintained that the fee structure is high owing to the facilities provided. He said, Kashmir Golf Club charges more against the services provided which are more than Jammu Golf Club. Several attempts to contact minister for state tourism went in vain. |
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