Jammu and Kashmir on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai for real estate development, industrial parks, IT towers, multipurpose towers, logistics, medical college, super specialty hospital. The MoU was signed during commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal’s two-day visit to the union territory.

Goyal met Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, Chairman and CEO DP World, inaugurated tourism huts and exhibition events.

Goyal also met a delegation of industrialists from the valley wherein issued related to bottlenecks in export of Kashmiri shawls were taken up, and he directed the authorities to set up testing facilities at Srinagar and Delhi airport while simultaneously upgrading the local testing facilities with state of the art machines.

There was also a discussion regarding the new industrial package and need to extend the package to existing industrial units to ensure their growth.

Goyal directed the district administration to work out plans for homestay tourism in Pahalgam that will both boost the local economy and add to the its tourist potential.

His visit assumes significance in the wake of growing exports from Jammu and Kashmir.

For the first time, Kashmir Saffron, and Mishri variety Kashmir Valley Cherries

from Srinagar were exported to Dubai and other Middle Eastern markets.

“Shipment of Kashmir Valley fragrance rice Mushkbudji, Acacia honey & Kashmir Valley Apples have also been planned,” said an official, adding that a proposal for J&K strategy to boost goods and services exports is under consideration.

The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has developed an Agri Export Plan for J&K identifying potential products for exports such as apple, cherry, walnut, honey, saffron, rice, gucchi and organic products.

Besides, to mould districts into export hubs, Geographical Indication products, agricultural clusters, and toy clusters with export potential have been identified in all districts of the UT.

Under the Market Access Initiative Scheme, Rs 18.98 lakh has been sanctioned for J&K and Ladakh for the year 2021-22 for export promotion activities.

The textiles ministry is developing Craft Villages in select Handloom and Handicraft pockets of the country and five locations have been identified to establish Handloom Villages, of which one is Kanihama (Budgam, Srinagar) Craft Handloom Village.

Goyal, who is also textiles minister, proposed the setting up of a carpet village that will act as a demonstration centre of the local craft to visiting tourists and also promote the local carpet industry globally.