Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation ( MSRTC ) employees will receive a Diwali bonus of ₹ 10,000 each, while the dearness allowance (DA) has been increased from 58 per cent to 60 per cent, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced on Thursday.
The decision will benefit around 83,000 employees of the state-run transport undertaking. Eligible employees will also receive an advance of ₹ 12,500 for the festival, Sarnaik said. The decisions regarding bonus and DA will put an additional burden of around ₹ 160 crore on the corporation, the minister said.
“ST officers and employees work round the clock to provide safe travel to lakhs of passengers.
Despite the corporation facing financial difficulties, the government was committed to ensuring that employees celebrate Diwali , he said. Providing them a bonus on the occasion of Diwali is not merely an act of generosity but their right,” Sarnaik said. The minister said the government and the corporation were committed to resolving employees’ issues through dialogue while improving passenger services and strengthening the MSRTC’s financial position.
