State Welfare Scheme for Purohits, launched in September 2020 by the Department of Information & Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal, aims to provide financial assistance to economically distressed priests across various religious communities, including Hindu Purohits, Christian priests, Jain monks, Buddhist monks, and Parsis priests. The scheme acknowledges the crucial social and cultural roles these individuals play and offers monthly financial aid and housing grants.
Benefits
- Monthly Financial Assistance:
- ₹1,000/- per month for all poor Purohits and priests of other religious communities.
- Housing Grant:
- ₹1,20,000/- for the construction of a dwelling house.
Eligibility Criteria
- Religious Service:
- Applicants must be economically backward practicing priests associated with places of worship.
- Residency:
- Applicants must be residents of West Bengal.
- Pension Exclusion:
- Applicants must not be beneficiaries of any other Social Security Pension Scheme or receiving a Government pension or pension from any organization.
- Housing Eligibility:
- Applicants must not own a pucca dwelling house but should have a piece of land in their name.
- If land is unavailable, the State Government will mobilize land for eligible beneficiaries.
Application Process
Offline Process
- Obtain Application Form:
- Download the form from the official website or collect it from local government offices.
- Form Submission:
- For rural areas: Submit to the Block Development Officer (BDO).
- For municipal/notified areas (outside Kolkata): Submit to the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO).
- For Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC): Submit to the Municipal Commissioner, KMC.
- Verification:
- Applications are verified by BDO/SDO/Municipal Commissioner to ensure eligibility.
- Recommendation:
- Verified applications are forwarded to the District Magistrate or Municipal Commissioner (KMC) for final approval.
- Sanction and Payment:
- Approved applications are processed by the Department of Information & Cultural Affairs, and funds are directly transferred to the beneficiary’s bank account.
Documents Required
- Passport-Sized Photograph.
- Digital Ration Card Copy.
- Aadhaar Card (if available).
- Voter ID Copy.
- Residential Certificate (Self Declaration).
- Bank Passbook Copy.
- Land Ownership Documents: Khatian (ROR)/Deed, if applying for the housing grant.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the aim of the scheme?
- To provide financial assistance and housing support to economically backward priests across religious communities in West Bengal.
- Who launched this scheme?
- The Department of Information & Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal.
- Who is eligible for the scheme?
- Economically distressed Purohits and priests from Hindu, Christian, Jain, Buddhist, and Parsi communities who are residents of West Bengal.
- What are the benefits provided?
- Monthly assistance of ₹1,000/- and a housing grant of ₹1,20,000/-.
- Is the scheme only for West Bengal residents?
- Yes, only residents of West Bengal are eligible.
- Can beneficiaries of other Social Security schemes apply?
- No, those receiving pensions from any other source are not eligible.
- Where can I find the application form?
- The application form is available on the official website or at local government offices.
- Who verifies the application form?
- Applications are verified by the BDO/SDO/Municipal Commissioner, depending on the applicant’s location.
Sources and References
- Official Website
- Guidelines & Application Form