Need to rebuild ties between J&K and rest of India: Omar

There is a need to rebuild the relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the country which has fallen prey to the two decades-old militancy, said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Participating in the India Today Conclave, Omar was replying to questions about the steps being taken by his government to promote tourism in the state.

"I want to rebuild the relationship between Kashmir and rest of India, which has not been existent in the last 20 years, through tourism. I want all of you to come to Srinagar, Gulmarg or Sonmarg, hire a hut for a month and stay," Omar said.

The chief minister said he has been trying his best to promote adventure sports in Jammu and Kashmir for both domestic and foreign tourists.

"I myself had gone to Gulmarg recently and enjoyed skiing there," he said.

Omar said states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu enjoy locational advantages and have been able to attract huge investments in different sectors.

"I am not going to ask anyone to invest in my state. What I am doing is asking the industrialists to visit the state, see the opportunities there themselves and decide on their own," he said.