Honorarium Delay Puts Imams, Muezzins in Distress
- Imams and Muezzins await Telangana Wakf Board payments before Ramzan
- Fresh honorarium applications pending as Ramzan nears
Hyderabad: The delay in honorarium payments has left Imams and Muezzins in distress ahead of Ramzan. With the holy month set to begin later this week, many religious workers say they are struggling due to pending payments from the Telangana Wakf Board.
The Telangana Wakf Board has released honorarium only up to November. The board pays around 15,000 Imams and Muezzins across Telangana State. Imams lead prayers in mosques, while Muezzins give the call for prayer and take care of mosque upkeep. However, the delay has caused concern, especially as Ramzan approaches.
“We are paid the amount once every four of five months. The board officials are expressing inability to pay the money citing financial problems every month or once every two months,” said a Muezzin of a mosque at Kalwakurthy. He added that the irregular payments have made it hard to manage daily expenses.
The honorarium scheme began in 2015 under former Chief Minister and BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao. Initially, each Imam and Muezzin received Rs 1,000 per month. Later, the then BRS government increased the amount to Rs 5,000 per month. Despite this enhancement, beneficiaries now say that delayed payments defeat the purpose of the scheme.
“The holy month of Ramzan will commence later this week. Everyone knows, people need money for Ramzan month preparation. Despite being aware of it, the wakf board shows no zeal is crediting the honorarium,” said an Imam from Devarakonda mandal of Nalgonda district. He stressed that the funds are essential during the festive month.
Unlike in cities and towns, many Imams and Muezzins in rural areas have no other source of income. They live in mosque accommodation and perform religious duties full time. “The villagers are poor and cannot afford to pay us huge amounts for the services. Despite all odds, we continue with religious duty. The wakf board management should keep it in mind and release the amount on monthly basis,” said another Imam from Turkapally mandal of Yadadri Bhuvangiri district.
Meanwhile, the government has around 8,000 fresh applications for honorarium pending. These were submitted over the past two years. However, there has been no clarity on their approval as Ramzan draws near.
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