Christian preachers plea to Telangana Govt on honorarium, burial grounds in all mandals

Telangana United Christians and Pastors Association (TUCPA) has urged the Congress Government to fulfil the long pending demands like monthly honorarium to the preachers and allotment of burial grounds in all the mandals of the State.

At a meeting of the TUCPA attended by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) working president Anjan Kumar Yadav and Congress leader Vijaya Reddy in Hyderabad on Tuesday, the association general secretary Goneh Solomon Raj urged the Government to consider the pending issues concerning the Christian community in the State.

He brought to the notice of the TPCC leaders the need to pay monthly honorarium to the pastors, allotment of land for burial grounds in all mandals of the 33 districts in the State. He said that the burial grounds that had been sanctioned and land allotted should be given to the local pastors for administering it. He noted that permissions to construct churches in municipalities, corporation and gram panchayats has to be expedited. He sought the support of the Congress Government to accord SC status to Dalit Christians.

The meeting urged the Congress Government to consider nominating a person from Christian community as an MLC, fill the vacant posts of Christian Minorities Finance Corporation and Telangana Minorities Commission. The meeting also requested the Government to revive the subsidy programme for Holyland Tour of Jerusalem.

Mr. Anjan Kumar Yadav promised to bring the issues to the notice of the Chief Minister for speedy redressal. The meeting was also attended by Rev. B. Winston Vice Chairman, CSI Medak Diocese, Rev. G.D. Anil Kumar, Methodist Church of India, Hyderabad, Bishop Lazar Lal Singh, Banjara Community and Bishop Timothy TUCPA President.