A dedicated committee comprising experts and industry stakeholders will be formed to provide strategic guidance for sustainable tourism growth and hospitality sector expansion.
J&K’s Chief Minister and Finance Minister, Omar Abdullah presented the Budget 2025-26, outlining a visionary roadmap for economic growth, social progress, and sustainable development. In his budget speech, CM stated that J&K’s economy is projected to grow at 9.5% in 2025-26, with major investments in infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, and industry.
Recognising tourism as a key driver of this growth, the total budget allocated of INR 390.20 crore to the sector, marks an increase of INR121.77 crore. Several other transformative initiatives have also been announced to enhance J&K’s tourism appeal. The minister stated that the comprehensive new master plans will be developed for iconic tourist locations such as Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg to enhance infrastructure, sustainability, and visitor experience.
J&K’s first National Water Sports Centre will also be established at Dal Lake and Basohli, further promoting adventure tourism and water-based recreational activities. A new water park will be developed at Dwara village near Sidra Golf Course under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, shared the CM.
Also, a dedicated committee comprising experts and industry stakeholders will be formed to provide strategic guidance for sustainable tourism growth and hospitality sector expansion.
In this significant move, the government has also proposed the establishment of the Jammu & Kashmir Skill & Entrepreneurship University (J&K SEU), which will offer cutting-edge training in tourism, renewable energy, technology, healthcare, and traditional crafts. Additionally, structured skill development will be prioritised, with one lakh youth set to be trained under PMKVY 4.0, PM Vishwakarma, and other schemes, alongside the revival of the Udaan Scheme.
Acknowledging the crucial role of infrastructure in economic and tourism growth, the budget highlights major ongoing projects which includes completion of key highways and tunnels to improve accessibility, expedited progress on the USBRL rail project, enhancing connectivity to the region and a commitment to blacktop 4,000 km of roads in 2025-26, ensuring smoother travel across J&K.