Andhra Pradesh Government Allocates Rs 30 Crore for Pastors' Honorarium
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Synopsis
The Andhra Pradesh government has allocated Rs 30 crore for the honorarium of Christian pastors, with payments set to commence from May 2024. Each pastor will receive Rs 5,000 monthly, totaling Rs 35,000 over seven months. This initiative aims to support over 8,427 pastors and is part of the government's commitment to minority welfare.
Key Takeaways
- Andhra Pradesh government allocates Rs 30 crore for pastors’ honorarium.
- Each pastor to receive Rs 5,000 monthly for seven months.
- The decision supports 8,427 pastors statewide.
- Payments will start from May 2024.
- Part of ongoing minority welfare initiatives.
Amaravati, April 17 (NationPress) In a positive development for Christian pastors ahead of Good Friday, the Andhra Pradesh government announced the release of Rs 30 crore to provide them with honorarium.
The Minorities Welfare Department has issued a Government Order (GO) for the monthly honorarium to be paid to pastors over a period of seven months, from May 2024 to November 2024.
As per the GO, these funds have been allocated from the Budget Estimate provision 2025-26 to support 8,427 pastors throughout the state.
The Commissioner of Minorities Welfare has been empowered to manage the disbursement of these funds to the Managing Director of the A.P. State Christian (Minorities) Finance Corporation.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has approved the release of these funds, ensuring that each pastor receives a monthly honorarium of Rs 5,000.
With the government’s decision to clear arrears for seven months, each pastor will ultimately receive Rs 35,000.
The National Christian Council expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in December last year for the reaffirmation of honorarium payments to pastors.
The Council noted that the Christian community has eagerly anticipated this announcement, along with the continuation of the subsidy program for pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
The TDP-led NDA government has made this funding announcement just before Good Friday.
The ruling alliance, which includes the BJP and Jana Sena, assured during last year's elections that minority welfare schemes, including honorarium for pastors, would persist.
Recently, Minorities Welfare Minister N. Md Farooq stated that the government had completed the honorarium payments to imams and muezzins for six months, allocating Rs 45 crore for those payments.
The state has been committed to providing honorariums to Archakas or priests of Hindu temples, imams, muezzins, and pastors.
In 2019, the then YSR Congress Party government, led by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, initiated honorarium payments to pastors as pledged during their election campaign.
The BJP had previously criticized this initiative, accusing Jagan Mohan Reddy of misusing government resources to identify pastors and facilitate these monthly stipends.
