‘Empty-handed’ Didi announces festival advance, ad hoc bonus for employees

Kolkata, May 13 (IANS) A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she had to return “empty-handed” from the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, her administration on Wednesday announced ad hoc bonus to government employees during the upcoming festive spells.

The decision was announced during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan that is now going on and also for the Durga puja will be celebrated in October.

“Pandemics will come and go. But we need to take care of people for festivals. We have decided to grant adhoc bonus of Rs 4,200 for 2020-21, an increase from Rs 4,000 in 2019. Also, the salary ceiling for eligibility for getting bonus is increased from Rs 30,000 (in 2019-20) to Rs 34,250. The festival advance is also being increased from Rs 8,000 in 2019 to Rs 10,000,” Banerjee told a press conference here.

The CM said that the salary ceiling for eligibility for festival advance was being increased from Rs 34,250 (in 2019-20) to Rs 41,100.

The state government order said that this increase in bonus, festival advance and the eligibility will benefit over 10 lakhs government employees of panchayat and municipal bodies, university and school employees, and contractual and casual employees.

“The total financial implication will be aboutRs 400 crore,” Banerjee said, adding that her government could only do very little for the employees this year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“But we, on behalf of the state government, at least tried to address the situation with a humane face,” she said.

Attacking the Centre for not paying out its dues to Bengal, Banerjee on Tuesday had said: “We are asking for our dues from the Centre. Every time whenever we ask for that amount, we have to return empty-handed. We are not begging anything from the Central government. We are just demanding that Rs 52,000 crores that we are supposed to receive from the Centre.”

–IANS

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