Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 6 (ANI): Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, during his visit to Srinagar on Sunday, thanked people for their support during Operation Sindoor.

'We are indebted to the people of Kashmir for the way they supported Operation Sindoor and stood firm against terrorism. Like we have decided to end Naxalism by 2026, I am confident that together we will eradicate terrorism from its roots,' Goyal told ANI.

Operation Sindoor was initiated on May 7 this year in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed.

The Union Minister said he met with trade and commerce delegations today.

'Today, I met many delegations. The state government and the central government are jointly paying attention to all their issues and will give a boost to the industry and trade here like the Modi government brought a Rs 28000 crore scheme earlier,' Goyal said.

Addressing reporters, Goyal said that tourism in Kashmir will boom due to the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, which will lead to a growth in the economy.

'Now, the Amarnath Yatra has also started, and tourists have also come to Gulmarg. People have done home stays here. Today, home stay will start in thousands of houses, their income will increase, and Kashmir's economy will also grow,' he said.

Goyal said that he will try to reduce GST on handicrafts to 5 per cent.

'We have discussed with the people about handicrafts here. Give me its draft. I will try to reduce the GST to 5 per cent so that the production of handicrafts here can increase. There has been a discussion about opening an assembly centre. We will open that too,' he said.

On minimum support prices for apples, the Union Minister said, 'We have talked about apple, so its MSP should be Rs 50 and duty Rs 25, and after that a lot of tax is levied, after which the consumer has to pay more than Rs 125-150. For this, I will talk to the Agriculture Minister.'

Sharing posts on X, Goyal wrote about his meetings with various delegations.

In an X post, he wrote, 'Today, I met with representatives of the Jammu-Kashmir Fruits and Vegetable Processing and Integrated Cold Chain Association (JKPICCA) in Srinagar. During this, discussions were held on strategies to sustain industrial development in the cold chain and agro-processing sectors, which are extremely important for strengthening J&K's agricultural economy and boosting exports.'

He also met the representatives of the MSME Development Forum, Jammu and Kashmir and discussed the ease of doing business.

'In Srinagar, a detailed discussion was held with the MSME Development Forum, Jammu-Kashmir, regarding various suggestions to promote local enterprises. During this, measures to enhance the competitiveness of MSMEs, improve Ease of Doing Business, and connect them to the national supply chain were discussed,' Goyal wrote on X.

The Union Minister also met a delegation from the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Srinagar.

'Today, I met with a delegation from the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Srinagar. During this, meaningful discussions took place on empowering local industries, accelerating economic development, and creating a favourable environment for business,' an X post read.

Meanwhile, the Union Minister also extended greetings to the 14th Dalai Lama on the occasion of his 90th birthday. 'I praise the Dalai Lama. 140 crore people of this country respect him and pray for his long life. All of us wish that the injustice done to the people of Tibet must be resolved in the future,' the minister said.

Goyal also enjoyed a 'shikara' ride on the Dal Lake in Srinagar. (ANI)