Festive Bonanza For Central Govt Employees: Govt Announces Bonus; Check Eligibility Criteria Here

There is good news for central government employees as the Central government has approved bonuses ahead of Diwali for Group C and non-gazetted Group B rank officials, including paramilitary forces. The ceiling for computing non-productivity linked bonuses (ad-hoc bonuses) for central government employees has been fixed at Rs 7,000 for 2022-23.

Union Finance Ministry's Department of Expenditure (DoE) in an office memorandum said a non-productivity linked bonus (ad-hoc bonus) equivalent to 30 days emoluments for the accounting year 2022-23 has been granted to the central government employees in Group 'C' and all non-gazetted employees in Group B', who are not covered by any productivity-linked bonus scheme.

Eligible employees of Central Para Military Forces and Armed Forces will get the payment of ad hoc bonuses. To be eligible for the ad hoc bonuses, the employees should have been in service as of March 31, 2023 and have worked for a minimum of six months continuously in 2022-23.

Casual labor who have worked in offices following a 6-day week for at least 240 days for each year for 3 years or more (206 days in each year for 3 years or more in the case offices observing 5-day week) will also receive the ad-hoc bonus. The ad-hoc bonus beneficiaries should not be covered by any productivity-linked bonus scheme.

Eligibility Criteria: Who all are eligible to get the payment of ad hoc bonuses?

1) Those eligible for payment under these orders include employees who remained in service as of 31.3.2023 and have rendered at least six months of continuous service during the year 2022-23. Pro-rata payment will be admissible to the eligible employees for a period of continuous service during the year from six months to a full year, the eligibility period being taken in terms of the number of months of service (rounded off to the nearest number of months).

2)The quantum of non-PLB will be worked out on the basis of average emoluments or calculation ceiling whichever is lower. To calculate non-PLB for one day, the average emoluments in a year will be divided by 30.4 (the average number of days in a month). Further, this will be multiplied by the number of days of bonus granted.

3)The casual labor who worked in offices for at least 240 days each year for 3 years or more (206 days per year for 3 years or more in the case of offices observing 5 days per week), will be eligible for this non-PLB (ad-hoc bonus) payment.

Meanwhile, in yet another Diwali gift to central government employees the Union Government on Wednesday approved the much-awaited 4% hike in Dearness Allowance for central government employees. The DA hike of 2023, announced today, will become effective from July 1, 2023 onwards. Noticeably, with this 4% hike, the DA for government employees will be increased from 42% to 46%.