Jammu, June 19 (IANS) The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) on Friday extended nutritional support to TB patients under the Nikshay Mitra initiative.

Officials of the SMVDSB said that the Board has extended nutritional support to TB patients under the Nikshay Mitra Initiative.

Tuberculosis Officer Jammu, Dr Jyoti Jolly, on Friday received 270 nutrition food baskets from SMVDSB, Katra under the Nikshay Mitra Initiative and the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, for TB patients of Block Katra and District Reasi of Jammu Division.

The support has been provided under the guidance of Director Health Services Jammu, Dr Poonam Sethi, as part of efforts to strengthen patient care and improve treatment outcomes through nutritional assistance.

The NTEP Jammu Team expressed gratitude to the management of the Shrine Board for this contribution, noting that the support will assist TB patients during their treatment and recovery.

The nutrition baskets will help improve recovery, reduce suffering and enhance treatment outcomes. The initiative also reflects the spirit of community participation in achieving a TB-Mukt Jammu & Kashmir.

The State TB Cell Jammu acknowledged the contribution of the SMVDSB and reiterated its commitment to strengthening partnerships in support of a TB-Free India.

The SMVDSB is the statutory autonomous body responsible for the management, governance, and administration of the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi and its surrounding infrastructure in Katra, Jammu & Kashmir.

Established in August 1986, the Board is headed by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, who serves as its ex-officio Chairman.

Core responsibilities of SMVDSB include regulating the massive annual influx of millions of pilgrims walking the 13 km trek from Katra to the Bhawan.

The Board operates heavily subsidized eateries providing hygienic food, maintains pilgrim accommodation like dormitories and rooms, and continuously upgrades transit paths with all-weather queue complexes.

Pilgrims must utilise the official booking channels to organise their travel infrastructure safely and avoid fraudulent third-party agents.

Obtaining a Yatra Registration Slip is mandatory for all pilgrims. While the digital registration slip can be acquired for free via the Official SMVDSB Portal, physical RFID Access Cards must be collected at the Katra counters upon arrival before starting the trek.

Helicopter service from Katra to Sanjichhat is available. Bookings are highly sought after and open 60 days in advance on a rolling daily calendar basis at 10:00 A.M. IST.

The current regulated round-trip ticket fare is Rs 4,640 per passenger (Rs 2,320 one-way).

Devotees can pre-book battery car transit slots, the Bhawan-Bhairon Ghati ropeway, online room accommodations, and Attka Aarti / special puja slots through the SMVDSB Services Guide Platform.

Standard physical transit support like palanquins, Pithoos (porters), and ponies cannot be booked online and are managed exclusively via physical counters along the trail.

–IANS

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