Arvind Kejriwal announces ₹18,000 salary for Hindu and Sikh priests if AAP wins Delhi Election 2025

Delhi Elections 2025: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has announced a monthly honorarium of ₹18,000 for temple priests and gurdwara granthis, if the party returns to power in Delhi assembly elections 2025.

Kejriwal, making the announcement on said registration for this scheme will start from Connaught Place Hanuman Mandir on December 31. The Assembly elections in Delhi are due early next year.

"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," Kejriwal said in a press conference on December 30.

“Priests and granthis have been the custodians of our religious customs, serving society selflessly. Unfortunately, no one has ever taken care of their financial well-being,” he said.

Kejriwal said the registration for the scheme will begin tomorrow, December 31. He will personally initiate the process at the Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place.

“I request the BJP not to create hurdles in the registration process. Blocking this will be akin to committing a sin as they are our bridge to God,” Kejriwal added referring to criticism his party received on previous schemes including Mahila Samman and Sanjeevani scehems.

Delhi Assembly Election 2025 date

The elections to the 70-member Delhi assembly are scheduled in February next year. The Election Commission of India has not announced the dates yet. The term of the current assembly in Delhi expires on February 23, 2025.

The AAP, led by Kejriwal, seeks to retain power in Delhi for a third time after its electoral successes in 2015 and 2020. The party won 67 seats in 2015 and 63 in 2020 in the 70-member Assembly.

The AAP has released candidates for all 70 seats in Delhi. The BJP has not yet released a candidate list. So far, the Congress has released 47 names in two lists of candidates for the elections.