J&K: PM Modi unveils ‘Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice 2024’ tourism initiative, launches projects worth over Rs 6,400 cr

This is the first visit of the Prime Minister to Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on March 7, unveiled the first-ever nationwide initiative ‘Dekho Apna Desh People’s Choice 2024’ in order to identify the pulse of the nation on tourism.

The aim of the nationwide poll is to engage with citizens to identify the most preferred tourist attractions and understand perceptions across five tourism categories, including spiritual, cultural and heritage, nature and wildlife, adventure, and other category, according to an official statement by the Prime Minister's Office.

The 'other' category is where one can vote for their personal favourites and help uncover hidden tourism treasures in the form of unexplored tourism attractions and destinations like vibrant border villages, wellness tourism, wedding tourism, among others.

According to the statement, the poll exercise is being hosted on the MyGov platform, the citizen engagement portal of the Government of India.

Additionally, PM Modi also launched the ‘Chalo India Global Diaspora Campaign’ with an aim to motivate the Indian diaspora to become Incredible India ambassadors and promote tourism to India.

The campaign has been launched based on the clarion call of the Prime Minister, wherein he requested Indian diaspora members to encourage at least five non-Indian friends to travel to India.

With more than 3 crore overseas Indians, the Indian diaspora can serve as a powerful catalyst for Indian tourism, acting as cultural ambassadors, the statement added.

PM Modi also launched development projects worth more than Rs 6,400 crore during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Under this, Modi dedicated to nation about Rs 5,000 crore worth programme - the ‘Holistic Agriculture Development Programme’ - for boosting agri-economy in Jammu and Kashmir.

This is the first visit of the Prime Minister to Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and is an important one ahead of the Lok Sabha elections likely to be held in April-May this year.