Lamas in Sera Monastery received  the social welfare certificate on December 21.[Photo/Tibet.cn]

A distribution ceremony of social welfare certificate was held in Sera Monastery on December 21 and lamas of the temple all voluntarily joined the welfare system by receiving pension, medical insurance and subsistence allowances offered by the central government.

According to the management committee of the Sera Monastery, lamas only need to pay 112 yuan per person per year and they would enjoy the pension benefit in their 60s, receiving 120 yuan per month.

The government of Tibet Autonomous Region strived to improve the living conditions of lamas. Chen Quanguo, newly-appointed secretary of the CPC Committee of Tibet Autonomous Region, pledged in Lhasa on Saturday that more measures would be taken to help lamas and nuns.

"The government will make efforts to ensure public services such as transportation, power supply, telecommunication and TV programs to monasteries in Tibet," Chen said, adding that social welfare, including pensions, healthcare and minimum living allowances, will cover all lamas and nuns in the region.

An official with Tibet's religious affairs committee told the reporter that the new policy will start at the end of this month and would cover more than 46,000 lamas in Tibet.

"Local monastery management committees will be in charge of issuing the benefits to individual lamas," the official said.