Kejriwal's big announcement: Rs 18,000 per month for temple priests, Gurudwara granthis

Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced a new scheme aimed at providing financial support to religious leaders in the national capital. Under the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana, temple priests and Gurudwara granthis will receive a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000.  

Speaking about the initiative, Kejriwal said, "An honorarium will be given to the priests of temples and the 'granthis' of the Gurudwara every month. They will be given an honorarium of about Rs 18,000 per month."

Registration for the scheme will begin tomorrow. To mark the launch, Kejriwal will visit the iconic Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place, where he is expected to personally oversee the start of the registration process.  

"Today I am making an important announcement regarding a scheme. The name of the scheme is Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana. Under this, there is a provision to give an honorarium to the priests of temples and the 'granthis' of the Gurudwara," Kejriwal said in a press conference.

"They will be given an honorarium of about Rs 18,000 per month. This is happening for the first time in the country. The priest is a class that has carried forward the rituals from generation to generation. They never paid attention to their family and we never paid attention to them."

Interestingly, Kejriwal's announcement comes amid protests by Imams over non-payment of their salary.  

All India Imam Association chief Sajid Rashidi on Monday recently claimed that imams haven't received their salaries since the past 17 months. He urged the Delhi government to release money to the Waqf Board before the assembly elections. 

"Imams have not received their salaries for the past 17 months, so we are trying to convince the Delhi government to release this money to the Waqf Board before elections, because after the MCC is implemented the entire process stops," Rashidi was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. 

Rashidi also said the Delhi Waqf Board does not have a CEO at present, which can cause further delays in salary disbursements. He also urged the Delhi government to appoint a full-time CEO as soon as possible so that the salaries of Imams are not stopped.  

Previously, Rashidi mentioned that around 250 Imams are troubled and their salary is only Rs 18,000 per month. "We have come here with a demand to release our pending salary for 17 months. Around 250 Imams are troubled due to this. Their salary is only Rs 18,000 per month. Only salaries have been pending for the last 17 months."