According to the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, 1879 Tibetan monks and nuns of over 60 years will receive the first payment of pension, for the first in the 1,300 years’ history of Tibetan Buddhism.
The pension of 120 yuan per month will be paid to the monks and nuns once every three months by the government from year 2012.
Tibetan monks over 18 may join the pension scheme on the principle of voluntariness, and get pension after continuous payment of not less than 15 years.
It’s been reported that elderly monks in Lhasa, Qamdo and Shannan have already received the pension this month.