Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana: AAP Promises to provide Rs 18,000 monthly for priests and granthis.

In anticipation of the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal officially unveiled the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana, for giving honorariums to all the priests and ‘granthis’ in temples as well as Gurudwara. If AAP prevails in the election due to be held in this respect, these religious head men would be paid an honourarium of Rs 18,000 for the month.

In press interaction Kejriwal said that “this would be the country’s first scheme of such kind. He said priests, granthis are integral elements of our society as through generations they have been upholding religious practices. Unfortunately in the process of their diligence, they have never remained in the focus of such attention. Through Pujari Granthi Samman Yojna, we will pay reverence to their invaluable contributions.”

Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana Scheme Highlights:

Rs 18,000 honourarium for priests and granthis per month. It will benefit priests in temples and granthis in Gurudwaras across Delhi. This will give recognition and also provide some financial stability to the religious leaders who had been working for generations with no support.

This latest scheme announcement has come while the controversy over AAP’s Mahila Samman Yojana is gaining momentum. This earlier initiative, which promises Rs 2,100 per month for eligible women, has come under scrutiny following allegations of fraudulent collection of personal data. Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena, ordered a probe into these allegations, which were raised by Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit.

This scandal includes claims of improper activities connected with the Mahila Samman Yojana, such as Punjab intelligence officers reportedly hovering near Congress candidates’ homes and allegations of cash transfers from Punjab to Delhi with an intent to influence elections.

Despite these controversies, Kejriwal’s new promise to honor priests and granthis is being positioned as a move to address a long-standing gap in recognizing the contribution of religious leaders. “This is the first time in India that a government has thought about providing financial assistance to priests and granthis. We will ensure that their work is acknowledged and they are provided for,” Kejriwal added.

As the elections approach, Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana will be one of the important issues AAP will highlight. In fact, this would also be a great chance for AAP to woo the religious groups in Delhi as election is just a few months away, and the interest will be in seeing what kind of response voters have towards the promises of this party, including this scheme.