Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Wednesday announced a 50 per cent subsidy for 'Ulemas' to buy new two-wheelers and doubled their pension by increasing the payout to Rs 3,000 from the present Rs 1,500.
Making a statement in the Assembly, Palaniswami said as of now Rs 1,500 pension was being given to Ulemas such as Pesh Imam, Mothinar, Arabic teacher and Mujawar.
Indigent, they had retired after serving Waqf institutions in Tamil Nadu, he said.
The Ulema are the guardians and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam.
"The pension for Ulemas will be increased to Rs 3,000 from Rs 1,500," he said amid thumping of desks.
There are 2,814 Waqf institutions in Tamil Nadu and Ulemas working in such registered entities will be provided a subsidy of Rs 25,000 or 50 per cent of the vehicle cost, whichever is lower to buy new two wheelers, he said.
Also, the government will allocate Rs 15 crore for building a new 'Haj House' here in a land that will be assigned by Tamil Nadu Waqf Board, he added.