Bonus Hike: Ahead of Diwali, the governments of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh have announced good news for employees. The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will provide a Diwali bonus of Rs 10,000 to each employee, and the DA has been increased from 58% to 60%. The Uttar Pradesh government has approved a 30-day bonus for eligible employees for the financial year 2025-26.
MSRTC employees get Rs 10,000 bonus, DA increased by 60%
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced these decisions on Thursday, November 5. According to PTI, every MSRTC employee will be entitled to a Diwali bonus of Rs 10,000. Additionally, the dearness allowance (DA) has been increased from 58% to 60%. Eligible employees will also receive a festival advance of Rs 12,500. These decisions will benefit approximately 83,000 employees. This will result in an additional burden of approximately Rs 160 crore on the corporation.
Meeting with unions, appeal against striking
The announcement was made during a meeting with representatives of MSRTC employee unions in Mumbai. Sarnaik emphasised that the government is dedicated to resolving employees’ issues through dialogue. He urged employees to refrain from engaging in protests or strikes.
30-day bonus in UP, eligibility details
The Uttar Pradesh government has sanctioned a 30-day bonus for qualifying employees for the financial year 2025-26. This benefit will be extended to non-gazetted state government employees, as well as staff of educational institutions, local bodies, and district panchayats. Daily wage workers have also been included in this scheme. According to a government statement, the maximum bonus amount for these workers has been set at Rs 1,184.
25% paid in cash, 75% credited to PF account
In Uttar Pradesh, the bonus will not be paid entirely in cash. Instead, 25% of the bonus will be given as cash, while the remaining 75% will be credited to employees’ provident fund (PF) accounts. Retired employees and those nearing retirement will receive the full bonus amount in cash, as per different rules.
Bonus for sugar mill workers in Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu government had earlier announced bonuses and ex-gratia payments for employees of cooperative and state-owned sugar mills for the fiscal year 2025-26. An official statement said that employees of the two cooperative sugar mills, Subramania Siva and Kallakurichi-II, will receive a maximum bonus of 20%.
Employees of the other 14 cooperative and two government sugar mills will be granted a 10% bonus, comprising an 8.33% statutory bonus and a 1.67% ex-gratia payment. According to PTI, this decision will benefit about 5,190 employees across 18 mills and will cost ₹351.40 lakh.