Arvind Kejriwal announces Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana, to provide ₹18000 monthly to Hindu, Sikh priests

The former Delhi chief minister said the registration for the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana will begin on Tuesday.

Updated on: Dec 30, 2024, 13:56:11 IST

By HT News Desk

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Amid a huge row over a scheme that promises a monthly stipend to unemployed women, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced a new scheme that offers a monthly honorarium of ₹18000 to Hindu and Sikh priests. The former Delhi chief minister said the registration for the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana will begin on Tuesday.

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference. (PTI file photo)

"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. They will be given an honorarium of about ₹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," Kejriwal said at a press conference.

Kejriwal said he would kickstart the scheme after visiting the Hanuman Temple in Delhi's Connaught Place.

"Registration for this scheme will begin tomorrow. I will be visiting Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place tomorrow to start the registration of this scheme," he added.

Also read: Delhi government department's notice against AAP scheme triggers row; Arvind Kejriwal, BJP react

Mahila Samman scheme row

Earlier this month, Arvind Kejriwal launched the Mahila Samman scheme which offered a stipend of ₹2100 per month to unemployed women. AAP leaders started a registration drive for the scheme. However, the next day, the government’s women and child development (WCD) department advertised that the “Mahila Samman” scheme was “non-existent” and urged residents not to share personal data.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) later claimed the officers involved in the fiasco were under BJP's pressure. The party also vowed action against them. The BJP, on the other hand, alleged fraud and claimed that AAP and the Delhi government weren't on the same page.

Also read: Delhi notification row: AAP vows action against officers, BJP alleges ‘Kejriwal vs Atishi’

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena later ordered an inquiry against private persons allegedly collecting personal details of women in the name of enrolling them for the proposed scheme of the ruling AAP in Delhi.

Saxena ordered the inquiry based on a complaint by Congress leader and party's New Delhi Assembly seat candidate Sandeep Dikshit.

The Delhi Police has formed multiple teams to identify camps which are allegedly gathering personal details of women in the name of Mahila Samman Yojana, a senior official said on Sunday.

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