The West Bengal Government today announced a hiked quantum of ad-hoc bonus and festival advance for the state government employees, besides ex-gratia to the state government pensioners ahead of the Eid and Durga Puja festivals.
Announcing this at the state secretariat Nabanna, state Finance minister Amit Mitra said the decision would cost about Rs 400 crore to the state exchequer, while nearly ten lakh state government employees and four lakh pensioners would be benefited.
"We have always extended these benefits to government employees and pensioners and it will be given this year too with a hike despite a financial implication of Rs 400 crore," Mitra said.
Mitra said an ad-hoc bonus of Rs 3,200 would be extended to the state government employees drawing upto Rs 24,000 towards basic and DA per month.
Last year the amount of ad-hoc bonus was Rs 3,000 and limit of salary (Basic and DA) was Rs 22,000 per month.
While this benefit would be extended to Muslim employees by July 15 ahead of Eid, the rest would get it by October 9 before the Durga Puja festival, the minister said.
Mitra said a festival advance of Rs 3,500 would be given to the state government employees drawing between Rs 24,001 to Rs 35,000 towards basic and DA per month with a condition of returning it in eight instalments.
The amount of festival advance last year was Rs 3,000 and the salary slab for eligibility was slight lower.
Mitra said the state government pensioners drawing pension plus relief upto Rs 24,000 per month would also be given an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1,700 before the festival.
The amount of ex-gratia to state government pensioners last year was Rs 1,500 and the eligibility limit was Rs 22,000 towards pension plus relief per month, the minister added.
