The Shrine Board for the twin-shrines of Sukrala Mata and Bala Sundri in Billawar area of Kathua district has almost become ineffective. The Shrine Board was formally constituted in 2013 and distinguished persons formed the Shrine Board. For no specific and convincing reasons, the Shrine Board has not been able to deliver as was expected. It is faced with number of hurdles. The Tourism Department has not as yet handed over the structure to the Board which it was supposed to do until the time the Board raised its own structures. The administration is not cooperating as it should to generate activity of the Board. The plea that Kashmir floods and Parliamentary and Assembly elections delayed taking some important decisions is not tenable. Ever since creation of the Board only five or six meetings of the Board have been held and no significant decisions taken. Even whatever small or temporary decisions were taken the administrative authorities have not responded with any sense of responsibility. In the meanwhile donations running into crores of rupees continue to pour in.
This state of affairs will not be appreciated by the pilgrims and the locals besides other stakeholders. As such the members of the Shrine Board need to convene a crucial meet to draw the roadmap for development of the shrines on the pattern of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine which has by now developed into a very significant institution. The shrines have great potential for development. What is needed is vision and dedication.
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