JAMMU: Established on August 30, 1986; the Shri Mata Vaish¬no Devi Shrine Board has not only undertaken projects to develop the world-renowned cave tirtha nestled in the Trikuta Hills but also endeavoured to make the high-lands green besides aiming at clean¬liness and sanitation and – above all – empowering the future generation with knowledge through its universal education mission.
From the tenure of the then Gov¬ernor Jagmohan – the Board was his brainchild – to the present chair N.N. Vohra, the entity has taken a number of significant initiatives to build infra¬structure and create other facilities for pilgrims whose number registered a phenomenal increase – crossing the 10-mln. mark in 2011 and 2012 – as a direct consequence.
According high priority to taking up several health and learning proj¬ects, the Board set up the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Gurukul and – recently – the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi College of Nursing. Scholarships are provided to children of erstwhile baridars (care¬takers). From 2002-03 to 2016-17, more than Rs. 3.56 cr. was disbursed to 8,539 meritorious pupils from such families. Girls are given bursarships at a higher scale. From time to time, support is extended to augment infra¬structure in the area’s academic insti¬tutions. Recently, the Board released Rs. 10.35 lakh for upgrading the Govt. Primary School, Kakryal whereas Rs. 32.47 lakh were sanctioned for con¬structing a laboratory at the Govt. Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Reasi. The Board adopted the Govt. Middle School, Sanjichhat.