Nagpur: With Diwali festivities beginning amid hectic shopping and thousands of migrant workers returning to their hometowns by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses, the transport undertaking has finally brought festive cheer to its employees by announcing a Rs 10,000 Diwali bonus, ending their anxious wait for the festival benefit.
The announcement comes as a major relief to ST employees who continue to serve passengers during the festive rush, ensuring connectivity for people travelling home for Diwali. The bonus is expected to bring much-needed financial relief to employees’ families and make their celebrations sweeter.
Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik announced the bonus during a press conference, stating that discussions had been held with the State Government regarding the festive bonus and other long-pending demands of employees.
While the government has approved the bonus for the current festive season, a decision on the remaining demands has been deferred until after Diwali. The minister assured that efforts would be made to resolve the outstanding issues subsequently.
In an additional financial relief measure, needy ST employees will also be provided an advance of Rs 22,000, which will subsequently be recovered from their salaries.
The advance facility is expected to involve a monthly financial outgo of approximately Rs 5 crore for the corporation, taking the overall liability to around Rs 105 crore.
The bonus announcement is expected to ease financial pressure on ST employees ahead of Diwali, particularly those who had been awaiting the festive payment while continuing their duties during the peak passenger season.
