In a significant move ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal announced the ‘Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana,’ a scheme designed to provide financial assistance to Hindu temple priests and Sikh gurdwara granthis. Under this initiative, eligible religious leaders will receive a monthly honorarium of ₹18,000.
Kejriwal emphasized the importance of priests and granthis in society, stating, “They have carried forward the rituals from generation to generation. They never paid attention to their family, and we never paid attention to them.”
The registration for the scheme is set to commence on Tuesday, December 31, 2024. Kejriwal plans to inaugurate the registration process at the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place, Delhi.
This announcement follows the earlier introduction of the ‘Mahila Samman Yojana,’ which aimed to provide a monthly stipend to unemployed women. The scheme faced controversy when the Delhi government’s Women and Child Development Department issued a notice declaring the scheme “non-existent” and advising residents against sharing personal data. AAP leaders attributed the confusion to external pressures, while the opposition BJP alleged discrepancies in the implementation.
Despite the earlier setback, Kejriwal’s latest initiative reflects AAP’s continued efforts to address the welfare of various community groups in Delhi. The ‘Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana’ aims to provide financial recognition to religious leaders who have traditionally been overlooked in terms of state support.
