Good News: The UT of Kashmir saw a record 1.27lakh tourists in the month of November 2021. This compares to the seven-year average of 54,200; and against 6,327 in 2020, 12,086 in 2019 and 33,720 in 2018. Given India’s population, even this monthly 127,000 isn’t huge, translating to around 4,000 daily tourists. Yet, it is a ray of hope in a land of perennial crisis. These tourist numbers can grow multiple times. That would mean more jobs, a better economy, and overall prosperity for the local population. This is what will ultimately solve the Kashmir problem – money in the hands of people, aspirations for a better life and hope for a better tomorrow.
Of course, tourism alone won’t fix the economy. Other business boosting measures are also required. The Article 370 abrogation, UT status and a change of land laws were the recent Phase-I measures to fix the valley’s woes. These stroke of the pen, mic-drop moment type reforms won’t solve everything, but were required as the first step. Too many decades were in expert conferences and talks that only reached one conclusion about Kashmir – It’s too complicated. At least we did something about it with the Article 370 repeal and other phase-I legal measures.
Of course, societal mindsets don’t change with the passing of a few laws. Jammu and Ladakh seem to be doing okay with the changes. However, the local population in the Kashmir Valley doesn’t seem fully on-board with the new changes.
A certain intellectual set of people advise ‘winning hearts’ and ‘really listening to these people.’ One doesn’t know how to action this in practical terms, especially when many of these ‘hearts’ are against India or the India’s plan for the region. In my opinion (which many in the valley may not share), if India lets go of its efforts to fix Kashmir, the region will quickly decay. It will become a drug-and-arms fuelled, radicalism and Pak influenced mess, akin to another Afghanistan. Hence, this ‘let’s win hearts’ argument is a tricky one, especially when the hearts in question aren’t really taking you to a better place.
What will work in Kashmir is what has always worked in the history of the world – money in the hands of people, and a belief that a better life exists if they work for it. For if you have a growing business or a job in an international company – it is unlikely you will throw stones at cops or blow up bombs. (Yes, there are execptions, radicalized software engineers exist – but they are just that, an exception).
Hence, a boost in business, tourism and job creation is the only way out of the Kashmir mess. The boost in business will (and should) mean a boost for big-businesses too. Why should the region be deprived of big companies who will create tons of jobs? Why is there a section of intellectuals in India who always want business to mean some romanticized small cottage industry? Why do we think the best jobs Kashmiris can have is to weave a carpet or take people on boat rides? Do the Kashmiri youth not aspire to be site engineers, hotel general managers or programmers? How will that happen without big business arriving there? Why do we hate big business so much? Don’t all of us use products of big businesses every day – Microsoft, Google, Whatsapp for instance?
However, big busines and big investments do not arrive in a region unless a few conditions are met. One, the region must be safe. Two, the business must have viable growth and return prospects. Three, ease of doing business with little political interference or uncertainty.
For all this to happen in Kashmir, the government will need to do a Phase – II of policies for the region. For safety – the government will have to provide gated areas and communities, where security is top notch. Any terror act in these areas should be dealt with strictly, and not with the ‘win hearts, it’s just misguided youth’narrative. One terror act can destroy the safety perception of the entire region and cost literally lakhs of jobs.
To make viable returns in Kashmir, the government should announce a reduced-tax-territory (akin to lo-tax jurisdictions, e.g. Delaware, USA). This can incentivize businesses to come there. The new Kashmir land laws allowing anyone in India to buy land in the region are also welcome. This is not a ‘sellout’ of Kashmir. It’s a basic requirement of a place that wants to attract business.
To boost tourism, Kashmir needs to upgrade its act. It’s a beautiful place, but it still seems to be stuck in the tourism of the 1980s. Nostalgia apart, slow boat rides along the dal lake can get boring after a while. Indian hill stations need to go beyond sunset and sunrise points. The place needs re-imagination, especially in today’s Instagram generation. Also, one must realize that most tourists come to chill out and relax. Natural beauty has its limits in keeping one engaged. To attract the young generation of India to Kashmir, there need to be cafes and bars (yes bars, where they might serve beer – grow up). Some say that the local population and their religious beliefs prohibit this. One word for them – tolerance. You cannot have a thriving tourist spot where you can’t get a drink (even though I don’t promote drinking alcohol). Islamic countries like the UAE have figured out a balance between local beliefs and tourist needs. You can get a drink in Dubai. It’s all about acceptance and not imposing your beliefs on others. Remember, tourism = jobs for youth = peace and solution to the Kashmir problem.
Kashmir needs new Phase 2 of reforms, which makes the economy thrive and create jobs. Yes, it will ultimately be about winning hearts. But somehow in life, winning people’s hearts is a lot easier when you are helping put money their pockets.