His Holiness the Je Khenpo launched the pension scheme for the monks and nuns of the Central Monastic body at the Trashichhoedzong, today. His Holiness contributed Nu 10 M and the Zhung Dratshang committed a further Nu 50 M as seed money for the pension scheme. The initiative aims to provide comprehensive social protection to the monastic community.
During the launch, His Holiness the Je Khenpo on behalf of the monastic institution expressed his heartfelt gratitude to UNICEF Bhutan and other stakeholders for supporting the Central Monastic Body in implementing the pension scheme.
The Central Monastic Body in collaboration with the Dratshang Lhentshog Secretariat with technical assistance from UNICEF developed a social security system, including a financing strategy and an operation guideline to secure the welfare of monks and nuns in the country.
UNICEF through the Joint Sustainable Development Goals programme supported the pension scheme project worth more than Nu 6 M.
According to UNICEF, the initiative is an investment to give every child and adolescent in monastic schools, a fair chance in their life.
‘‘As monks, they will not have wives or children, and when they are about 70 to 80 years old, they will not have anyone to take care of them, no one to meet their expenses. The Dratshang has to look after them. Therefore, His Holiness contributed Nu 10 M as seed money and the Dratshang also has a budget for senior monks. We have been providing old age support in the past and we wanted to provide better than before,” said Sangay Dorji, Laytshog Lopen.
68-year-old, Tshering Peljor, is one of the monks who benefitted from such an initiative. He said that monks like him are currently benefitted by the lump sum money given by the Dratshang.
‘‘We have been serving the Dratshang till now, and we do not have any source of income. So far, we have benefitted from the Nu 3,000 which is provided by the Dratshang. The Nu 10 M provided by His Holiness will benefit us a lot in the future. This scheme will help us to get a loan or buy a small car.’’
According to the Central Monastic Body, they will continue to pay the lump sum amount till they attain the age of 65.
From 65 onwards, the retired monks will be given the new pension scheme.
“So far, we have been providing lump sum amounts to old monks whose age is more than 61. On top of that, starting today, we will continue to give them money. When they reach the age of 65, we will discontinue the past initiative. Monks who have served 10 years and above with the Dratshang will be entitled to Nu 7,360,” said Chorten Dorji, Secretary of the Laytshog Office.
He added that, unlike public servants, the Dratshang will not deduct any amount from the monks when they are active in service.
There are more than 7,000 registered monks and nuns across the country. Today, only 323 monks and nuns are eligible for the new pension scheme.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sherub Dorji
