Ahead Of Diwali, Delhi Govt Employees Waiting For Bonus

Last year, six days before Diwali, a Rs 7,000 one-time bonus was announced for 80,000 employees of Delhi government.

New Delhi:The employees of Delhi government are eagerly waiting for their Diwali bonus as the Union Cabinet recently approved a Rs 2,029 crore Productivity Linked Bonus for over 11 lakh Railway staff in recognition of their performance. However, no bonus announcement has yet been made by the Delhi government.

Last year, the then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had gifted bonus for 80,000 employees ahead of Diwali to acknowledge the critical role that the staff of Delhi government play in public services. On November 6, six days before Diwali, Kejriwal government had announced the bonus for Group B non-gazetted and Group C employees. Every employee was provided a one-time bonus amounting to Rs 7,000.

The Delhi government had to spend around Rs 56 crore before Diwali for paying the bonus. This bonus came as a huge relief for several employees, bringing smiles to many faces.

However, with Diwali set to be celebrated two weeks later, Delhi government employees are waiting to hear about receiving their bonus this year.

Umesh Batra, general secretary of Delhi Government Employee Welfare Association, said employees still don't know when they will receive their bonus. "Leaving aside the bonus, the DA and HRA of the employees too have not been hiked yet. It was told that if the DA increases by 50 per cent, then it will be merged with the basic but no such thing has happened. In such a situation, employees are worried about their salaries," Batra said.

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