Jambu Zoo thrown open to public; LG says J&K on cusp of development

TNN Bureau. Updated: 5/30/2023 1:39:32 AM

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir is on the cusp of development, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Monday as he called upon the people to cooperate in the government's endeavours to develop tourism and infrastructure in the region.
Speaking at the inauguration of the first-of-its-kind full-fledged Jambu Zoo in the Shivalik foothills here, Sinha said, "This much-awaited addition to the tourist destinations of Jammu and Kashmir was taken up under a languishing project and it shall attract both residents and tourists," Sinha said.
The foundation stone of the zoo was laid at Nagrota on the outskirts of the city along Jammu-Srinagar national highway in September, 2016 to make it a major attraction for animal lovers and tourists.
Of the total proposed area of 162 hectares for the zoo, over 70 hectares have been readied in the first phase, which will be accessible to the public.
Touted to be one of the largest in north India, the Jambu Zoo will have 13 enclosures to house animals shifted from Manda Zoo here and five enclosures for animals from other zoos of the country, including the Royal Bengal Tiger and Asiatic Lion.
Congratulating the people and all the stakeholder departments, the LG said the scenic beauty around the zoo would make it a unique attraction spot, boosting tourism in Jammu.
He also announced free entry for all to the Jambu Zoo for a month.
Speaking on the developmental journey of the Union Territory, Sinha said, "Jammu and Kashmir is at a cusp in its development trajectory. We have broken fresh grounds to enable faster growth."
He added that the basic infrastructure is being strengthened across the Union Territory to realize the potential of every region.
"We are now at a stage where we need to accelerate this growth, make it more inclusive and convert the UT's potential into reality," the LG said, calling upon the people to cooperate in the government's endeavours to develop tourism and other infrastructure in the region.
Sinha reiterated the commitment of his administration to empower every section of society, especially the youth in achieving the goals of sustainable and inclusive development.
"Our youth are the architects of the new Jammu and Kashmir and we are seeing a steady rise in youth entrepreneurs, who are working dedicatedly to build a prosperous society and preserve our civilisational and cultural values and our commitment to peace," he said.
Sinha said the "historic" G20 Summit in Srinagar and reformative youth-centric endeavours of the administration have opened up endless opportunities for the socio-economic empowerment of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
"It is a rare moment and the world is applauding J&K's saga of development. We must work together to keep pace with the rest of the states and contribute to the significant task of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'," Sinha said.
"Within only a year, more than 82,000 business units have been established, providing 2.85 lakh youth with direct employment opportunities. Under Mission Youth, we have extended hand-holding to 70,000 young boys and girls to become self-reliant," he said.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has completed 1,500 languishing projects that were pending for the last 10 to 20 years, the LG said, adding that the cities in the Union Territory are being transformed into smart cities and villages getting integrated into mainstream development.


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