State gives financial aid of Rs 3k each to nearly 10,000 priests
Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government has extended financial support of about Rs 28,46,7000 to nearly 10,000 purohits and priests of other communities before Durga Puja and that too within a record time of a couple of weeks after the announcement of the scheme.
Though the purohits are about to get Rs 1,000 as monthly financial assistance, this time each of them have received Rs 3,000. The reason being this time the financial grant of three months – September, October and November—has been disbursed together following the direction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
She had taken the decision to disburse the financial grant of three months together ahead of the Puja itself considering the present economic condition in the wake of the Covid
situation.
A senior officer of the Information and Cultural Affairs department, that is the nodal body to implement the scheme, said: "In the first phase 9,489 purohits and priests of other communities were benefited under the scheme. The work was undertaken in a war footing manner with authorities of all districts taking necessary measures on priority basis."
Initially a list of around 8,000 purohits were prepared, but later the number went up to 9,489.
The officer further said that the financial grant to more purohits and priests in the second phase will be disbursed before or after the Kali Puja. The process of receiving applications at district level is going on in full swing.
It was on September 14, the Chief Minister had announced the "State Welfare Scheme for Purohits" stating that "many priests in Bengal are financially weak. The state has decided to help them by providing a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 and free housing scheme".
The memorandum that was issued in this connection on September 29 states that "purohits and priests of other communities like Christian, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis perform important social, cultural and community functions having wide public ramification. Their influence and nodal roles in the community and their situations as community leaders in their respective areas can be harnessed to mobilise the community in various development-oriented and welfare-oriented schemes and programmes regarding literacy campaigns, public health awareness programmes, maintenance of social tranquility etc." The scheme was introduced considering their significant role in the society and since "most of them are now in financially distressed condition and are unable to render such services to the community".
Besides the financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month, the beneficiaries are also entitled for a one-time grant of Rs 1.20 lakh for construction of a dwelling house under a housing scheme.
The officer said: "A section out of the 9,489 beneficiaries have also applied for the grant for construction of a house. The financial assistance has been provided to them on an immediate basis and the process of helping them get the support building houses is also going on in war footing to help them get the same at the earliest."
