Govt to provide honorarium and festival allowance to imams, muezzins, and priests

The government has adopted a policy to provide honorariums and welfare assistance to people working at mosques, temples, Buddhist monasteries, churches, and other religious places of worship across the country. Under this policy, arrangements will include a monthly honorarium, festival allowances on religious occasions, and skills-development training.

On Sunday, the Ministry of Religious Affairs issued a notification titled “Policy for Providing Honorarium and Welfare Assistance to Persons Working at Mosques and Other Religious Places of Worship, 2026.”

Under the policy, mosque imams, muezzins, khadems, and other caretakers working at various places of worship will receive honorariums, with festival allowances also to be provided on religious occasions.

The notification states that those working at places of worship play an important role in the country’s socio-economic development, the spread of religious and moral education, the growth of social values, and the preservation of religious harmony. Taking this role into consideration, the policy has been formulated to strengthen their financial and social security.

The policy does not only address financial assistance. It also includes training arrangements for skills development of those working at places of worship. Through this training, alongside enhancing various skills, initiatives will be taken to create alternative income opportunities for them.

The notification further states that the policy has been formulated in line with the commitment made in the government’s 2026 election manifesto.

The government’s goal is to ensure the welfare of those working at places of worship of various religious communities across the country, which it says will further strengthen religious harmony and social values.

Mosque imams, muezzins and khadems, temple priests, and caretakers of other religious places of worship play a role in religious education, morality, and building social awareness. Through this new policy, initiatives have been taken to formally recognize this role and bring them under financial support.

The government believes that once implemented, the policy will reduce financial uncertainty for those working at religious places of worship and further strengthen their social security.