New Delhi, 30 December
AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that if his party comes back to power in Delhi in the upcoming elections, his party will implement the ‘Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana’ to give a monthly allowance of Rs 18,000 to priests of Hindu temples and scribes of Gurdwaras. (‘Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana’) will start. His announcement came ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, in which AAP is trying to retain power for the fourth time in a row.
Kejriwal said, “Priests and scribes are an important part of our society, but they are often a neglected section. For the first time in the country, we are introducing a scheme to help them, under which they will get a mask allowance of Rs 18,000.” Registration for this scheme will start from Tuesday.
He also said that he would visit the Hanuman temple in Connaught Place on Tuesday to oversee the registration process for priests there. He said that registration would be done by AAP workers in other temples and gurdwaras across the city. Kejriwal also accused the BJP of trying to block several welfare schemes of his party.
He said, “Just as the BJP tried to stop the Mahila Samman Yojana by sending the police but failed, similarly they should not try to stop the ‘Pujari-Granthi Samman’ scheme.” The BJP will commit a huge sin by doing this.”
If the Aam Aadmi Party wins, the priests of the temples in Delhi and the Granthis of Gurudwara Sahib will be given an honorarium of ₹ 18,000 per month.
This scheme is a tribute to their spiritual contribution to the society and their efforts to preserve our cultural heritage.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 30, 2024
“This scheme is a tribute to their spiritual contribution to society and their efforts to preserve our cultural heritage,” he said in a social media post. However, the former Chief Minister did not give clear guidelines for the registration process. He said that the number of beneficiaries receiving the proposed honorarium will be published after the registration process is completed.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has also appreciated this initiative. In a post on X, he said, “When the Aam Aadmi Party forms the government again in Delhi, the temple priests and gurudwara granthis will be given an honorarium of Rs 18,000 per month who have been preserving our culture and civilization for generations. and are advancing. Arvind Kejriwal ji’s decision is not only a tribute to the service of priests and scribes, but also a resolve to preserve our heritage.”
Meanwhile, imams and muezzins of mosques under the Delhi Waqf Board in Delhi protested outside Kejriwal’s residence over the delay in releasing their salaries. The protesters claimed that their monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 (for imams) and Rs 16,000 (for muezzins) has been delayed for over a year and a half. -News-Patiala
