What Changes Were Made to the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board?

Synopsis
In a significant development for the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, J&K's Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has reconstituted its board with nine new members. This move aims to enhance the shrine's management. Discover the members and the implications of this change.
Key Takeaways
- Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reconstituted the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
- The board now includes nine new members.
- Over 1.50 crore devotees visit the shrine annually.
- The board was established to improve shrine management.
- Vaishno Devi is worshipped as a combined avatar of three goddesses.
Srinagar, May 19 (NationPress) The Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha, has recently restructured the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine board by appointing nine new members.
The L-G serves as the ex officio chairman of the board and holds the authority to form a board that manages the shrine's operations.
A notification confirming the board's reconstitution was released by the Lieutenant Governor, who also chairs the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
The newly appointed members include Sudha Murty, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vishveshvaranand Giriji Maharaj, Ashok Bhan (IPS Retd.), Baleshwar Rai (IAS Retd.), Gunjan Rana, K.K. Talwar, Kulbhushan Ahuja, Lalit Bhasin, and Suresh Kumar Sharma.
Each year, over 1.50 crore devotees visit the shrine located on the Trikuta Hills in the Reasi district of J&K.
The town of Katra acts as the base camp for visitors.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, commonly referred to as the Shrine Board, oversees the Yatra management as well as the shrine's administration and governance.
Established in August 1986 under the Jammu and Kashmir Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Act, 1988, the board aims to improve the management and governance of the Holy Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji along with its endowments, including related lands and buildings.
The board consists of a chairman and no more than 10 members.
Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta, Ambe, and Vaishnavi, represents the Hindu mother goddess and is revered as a unified avatar of the goddesses Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasarasvati.