Onam bonus: Govt staff to get ₹4,000

Onam bonus: Govt staff to get ₹4,000 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 7.9.24 

 T’puram : Govt employees and teachers will receive a bonus of Rs 4,000 each, for Onam. Those ineligible for bonus will get a special festival allowance of Rs 2,750, said finance minister K N Balagopal in a statement on Friday. Service pensioners will also receive a special festival allowance of Rs 1,000 each, and retired employees under contributory pension scheme too will receive a special festival allowance. Balagopal said all govt employees in the state will be given an Onam advance of Rs 20,000. Other employees, including parttime and contingent staff, will receive an advance of Rs 6,000. Contract and scheme workers who received a festival allowance last year will receive the same rate this year too. 

Over 13 lakh employees will benefit from this special Onam assistance, he added. Despite financial difficulties caused by Centre’s policies, state govt has decided not to reduce Onam benefits for employees. All benefits provided last year will be available this year too, said the minister. Govt has given priority to pension distribution. Monthly pension distribution has been ensured since March this year. This month’s pension is being provided early for Onam, he said. Social security and welfare fund pension beneficiaries will receive two instalments. Balagopal said Rs 1,700 crore has been allocated for this purpose. 

Nearly 62 lakh people will receive Rs 3,200 each for Onam. Besides the ongoing distribution of one instalment, two more instalments have been approved, he said. Beneficiaries will start getting the amount from Wednesday. The amount will be credited to the bank accounts of over 26 lakh people. The rest will receive their pension at home through cooperative banks, said Balagopal.