Government to provide honorarium and festival allowance to religious worship workers

The government has formulated a new policy to ensure the financial and social security of people working in various religious places of worship including mosques, temples, Buddhist monasteries, churches in the country. Under this, initiatives have been taken to provide monthly honorarium, festival allowance and skill development training to the workers of religious institutions.

On Sunday (September 6), the Ministry of Religious Affairs issued a notification titled 'Honorarium and Welfare Assistance Policy 2026 for People Working in Mosques and Other Religious Places of Worship'.

Religious workers including imams and muezzins will receive honorarium

Under the new policy, arrangements have been made to provide honorarium to people performing duties in various religious places of worship including imams, muezzins and khadems.

In addition, initiatives have been taken to provide festival allowance to the relevant workers on the occasion of religious festivals. As a result, the government hopes that the regular income and financial security of people working in places of worship will increase.

One of the goals of the policy is to help improve the quality of life of people working in religious institutions and reduce their long-term financial uncertainty.

Training will be provided for skill development

The government's initiative is not limited to just monthly honorarium or festival allowance. The new policy has said that training will also be provided to improve the skills of the employees of religious places of worship.

Through training, emphasis will be placed on improving the various skills of the concerned people as well as creating alternative income opportunities.

The government believes that this will not only increase the financial capacity of the employees of religious institutions, but also improve their professional skills.

Why this policy

The notification states that people working in various religious places of worship are playing an important role in the socio-economic development of the country, the spread of religious and moral education, the development of social values, and maintaining religious harmony.

Imams, muezzins, priests and other servants of various religious institutions including mosques, temples, Buddhist monasteries and churches are playing a role in promoting religious education and moral values, as well as creating social awareness.

The policy has been formulated with the aim of strengthening financial and social security by considering their contribution.

Implementation of election manifesto promises

The notification mentioned that the new policy has been formulated in continuation of the promises made in the government's 2026 election manifesto.

Through this, the aim is to ensure the welfare of people working in places of worship of different religious communities in the country, as well as to further strengthen religious harmony and social values.

Initiatives to increase financial security

Many people working in religious places of worship have been performing their duties with limited income and financial uncertainty for a long time. It is expected that if honorarium and festival allowance are introduced under the new policy, their financial security will increase somewhat.

At the same time, if alternative income opportunities are created through training, their economic capacity can further increase.

If this government initiative is implemented, it is believed that it will play an important role in the welfare of imams, muezzins, priests, servants and other related people working in various religious places of worship in the country.