MSRTC announces Rs 10,000 Diwali bonus for its 83,000 employees

Each of the nearly 83,000 officers and employees of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will receive a bonus of Rs 10,000 this Diwali. Transport Minister and MSRTC chairman Pratap Sarnaik announced this on Thursday.

Along with the bonus, the state government has also sanctioned a festival advance of Rs 12,500 for eligible employees. Dearness allowance (DA) has also been raised from 58 per cent to 60 per cent.

The decisions were announced at a meeting held on Thursday with representatives of the various employee unions of the state transport undertaking.

Sarnaik said the corporation's finances are difficult, but employees should not be deprived of the joy of Diwali. He said: "MSRTC officers and employees work tirelessly to give lakhs of passengers a safe journey. Considering their hard work, a Diwali bonus is not a favour, it is their right."

He also said the decisions will place an additional financial burden of about Rs 160 crore on the corporation. Even so, he said, ensuring that employees celebrate Diwali happily is the government's priority.

Sarnaik expressed confidence about the future of MSRTC, citing the support of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.

The minister appealed to employees not to take the path of agitation or strike. He said MSRTC is the lifeline of ordinary passengers and no agitation should cause them hardship.

Sarnaik said: "Employees and passengers are the two key pillars of MSRTC. We are always ready to resolve employees' problems through talks."

He added that the government and the corporation are committed to three things: taking decisions in the interest of employees, improving the quality of services for passengers, and making MSRTC financially sustainable.