L-G Manoj Sinha reviews donation management systems at Vaishno Devi shrine in J&K

On Thursday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha presided over a meeting of the Vaishno Devi shrine board to examine the administration of donations and gifts at the shrine. He emphasized the importance of accountability, openness, and conformity to standard operating procedures. In response to a complaint alleging widespread irregularities in the handling of silver offerings at Vaishno Devi, a Jammu court ordered the Jammu and Kashmir Police's crime section to provide comprehensive records. This led to the review meeting. Senior authorities and members of the shrine board attended the conference, which conducted a thorough examination of the gathering, tallying, accounting, preservation, and use of offerings made by devotees.

Officials claim that the board was briefed on the institutional procedures in place for the safe and open management of donations made via counters, donation boxes, internet platforms, and precious metals.
The verification procedures, monitoring systems, banking security measures, and recurring audits that oversee each phase of offering administration were highlighted in a presentation.

The board was advised by officials that all financial transactions pertaining to donations are conducted in compliance with the Government of India's guidelines, legislative provisions, and regulated banking standards. The board also examined security procedures for the processing and refining of precious metal offerings through government-approved organizations, including the Reserve Bank of India and the India Government Mint, Hyderabad.

Following the evaluation, the board said that it was satisfied with the current arrangements, noting that the processes guaranteed efficiency, responsibility, and transparency in the handling of devotees' gifts. According to officials, it also valued the measures taken by the shrine board to uphold the highest standards of honesty, fiscal restraint, and public confidence. In response to a complaint alleging widespread irregularities in the handling of silver offerings at the Vaishno Devi shrine, a Jammu court recently ordered the crime branch to produce all relevant records. The petitioner had challenged the police's action taken report and demanded the registration of a formal complaint for a comprehensive investigation. On July 29, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Jammu requested that the inquiry officer show up with the complete record and provide an explanation of the decision made regarding the allegation, which claims that silver offerings valued at more than Rs 500 crore were misappropriated and adulterated.