Paying priests properly

There is naturally reluctance on the part of parents and family members to initiate the young into the priesthood and encourage them to take up full-time mobedi. The reason is the remuneration offered is inadequate in the prevailing market conditions to enable the candidate or his family to live a decent life in modern times. In addition, there are various religious and ancestral commandments or rather restrictions that priestly families have to adhere to.
To save the priestly class, and especially full-time mobeds and high priests, they must be properly looked after. Where will the funds for this come from?
There are innumerable agiaries, dadgahs, dharamshalas and other religious institutions all over India which own property. These properties are being usurped or encroached on, ultimately resulting in their loss as the management and trustees are unable to look after or protect them.
If these assets could be sold and a trust/endowment created from the sale proceeds, the resources so generated could be utilized to ameliorate the condition of the priestly class before it faces extinction.
Will the management, trustees and owners of such properties see the writing on the wall and take suitable action in the interest of the community? The future of the priestly class is in their hands.
BOMI H. HANSOTIA
bhhansotia@yahoo.co.in