The Chinese government has conferred awards on ‘harmonious’ monasteries and ‘patriotic’ monks and nuns at a ceremony held on 19 April 2012 in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
Reporting on the award ceremony presided over by TAR Party Secretary Chen Quanguo, the Chinese government-owned website, ChinaTibetnews.com said the recipients of the first award ceremony for the harmonious model monasteries and law-abiding, patriotic and advanced monks include 59 monasteries and nunneries, 58 Monastery Management Committees (MMCs), 6,773 monks and nuns, and 200 ‘outstanding cadres’ posted in monasteries in recognition of their good work.
The report said the ‘law-abiding advanced monks and nuns’ of the Harmonious Model Monasteries shall be awarded with government subsidies. These subsidies include free pension, medical insurance and an annual free health check up.