Diwali Bonus: UP Govt Employees Set To Receive Rs 7K As Festive Gift

As the festival of light and love draws near, the Uttar Pradesh government announced Rs 7,000 for each of its employees to double their enjoyment this Diwali. The money will be credited directly into their bank accounts before Diwali. The government announced the bonus on X, stating all full-time non-gazetted employees, including daily wagers and those employed in educational and technical educational institutions aided by state funds for the year 2023-24.

Some eight lakh government employees are expected to receive the bonus. Earlier, the government ordered the release of employee salaries for October before Diwali. In this regard, the Uttar Pradesh’s additional chief secretary, Deepak Kumar, has issued an order.

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Employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) will get Rs 7,000, while those under the Old Pension System (OPS) will receive Rs 1,800 in-hand as Diwali bonus, while the rest will be transferred to their group provident fund (GPF) account.

However, gazetted employees will not get the bonus as there is no official provision for it.

Earlier this month, Himachal Pradesh government also announced to release the pending dearness allowances (DA) to its employees before Diwali.

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Diwali will be celebrated on October 31, which is a gazetted official holiday in India. Two days before Diwali, October 29, is Dhanteras, part of the festival of light.

During Diwali, people decorate their homes with “rangoli” and lights and buy new items for personal and home use, such as gold, furniture, cars, appliances, electronic gadgets, clothes, etc., to double their enjoyment. Buying gold during Diwali is considered auspicious and is believed to usher in wealth and good fortune. It is also the time when retailers across the spectrum wait every year for their big sales to happen. Many retailers offer discounts and deals to boost sales as customers throng the markets for festive shopping.