Nagpur: With no Diwali bonus in sight and 15 months of dearness allowance (DA) arrears still pending, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) employees are facing a double financial blow ahead of the festive season. Adding to their discontent, the civic administration has appealed to employees and officers to contribute one day’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to help drought-hit farmers, triggering resentment among staff already awaiting their long-pending dues.
Traditionally, NMC employees take a festival advance, which is subsequently recovered from their salaries in equal instalments, as there is no provision for a Diwali bonus. This year, however, their hopes of receiving the pending DA arrears before the festival have remained unfulfilled, with the administration yet to issue any order on the payment.
Municipal Commissioner Vipin Itankar issued a circular on October 21, appealing to civic employees and officers to donate one day’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to compensate farmers for crop losses caused by drought. The move follows a Maharashtra Government circular issued on October 16.
The NMC has also issued an objection form along with the circular, allowing employees who do not wish to contribute to register their objection and submit the form to their respective department heads. The administration has stated that employees making the contribution will be eligible for income tax exemption.
Although the contribution is voluntary, the timing of the appeal has not gone down well with a section of the civic workforce. Employees argue that their own financial concerns, particularly the prolonged delay in DA arrears and other pay-related benefits, should also receive urgent attention.
The discontent comes against the backdrop of a recent protest by the Rashtriya Nagpur Corporation Employees Association at Samvidhan Chowk. The association staged a dharna demanding the release of pending DA, arrears under the 7th Pay Commission and fulfilment of other long-standing demands.
The association could not submit its memorandum to the administration as planned because of the Model Code of Conduct in force for the Nagpur Division Graduates’ Constituency election. The code has also prevented a decision on the employees’ demands so far, leaving the issue unresolved at a time when staff members were hoping for financial relief before Diwali.
The pending DA arrears cover 15 months, comprising an increase of 3% for eight months and 2% for the remaining seven months. Employees believe that the release of these dues would provide much-needed financial support and help them meet additional household expenses during the festive season.
Surendra Tingne, President of the Rashtriya Nagpur Corporation Employees Association, said the association had no objection to employees voluntarily contributing towards drought relief but opposed any move that would further strain their finances during the festive period.
“The proposal to contribute one day’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund is voluntary. Any employee who does not wish to contribute can fill up the objection form. We have no objection to helping drought-hit farmers, but the deduction should not be made from October salaries, particularly during the festival season,” Tingne said.
He added that the association would soon meet the Municipal Commissioner to press for the release of pending DA and 7th Pay Commission arrears. The memorandum of demands could not be submitted earlier due to the election code of conduct.
For NMC employees, the immediate concern is the absence of relief on two fronts: their long-awaited salary-related dues remain unpaid, while they are being asked to consider contributing towards drought relief. With Diwali expenses mounting and no clear decision on the arrears, the civic workforce is hoping that the administration will address its demands without further delay.
