The Tamil Nadu government has announced a special Pongal bonus for its employees, teachers, pensioners, family pensioners and former village administrative officers (VAOs) on the occasion of the Tamil festival Pongal for the financial year 2023–2024.
According to a press release, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M.K. Stalin has allocated Rs 163.81 Crores for Pongal bonus and Special Pay for C & D Category Employees, Pensioners, Family Pensioners, and Former Village Assistants for the year 2023–2024.
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As per the release, teachers and employees of the C & D Group would receive a special pay of up to Rs 3,000.
Daily wage workers and other staff
Employees who are eligible for consolidated wages, special time-scale pay, or those who have completed at least 240 days of service in the 2023–2024 financial year will receive Rs 1,000 as a special bonus. This includes both full-time and part-time employees.
Pensioners and family pensioners
The Pongal gift for C & D Group pensioners, family pensioners, and former village administrative officers (including former village assistants and helpers) would be Rs 500.
Last year ad hoc bonus for Pongal
“Government has decided to grant Adhoc Bonus to celebrate harvest festival “Pongal” equivalent to 30 days emoluments subject to a ceiling of Rs.3,000/- to all C and D Group regular and temporary Government employees, employees of Local Bodies and Aided Educational Institutions including teachers on regular time scales of pay and Special Adhoc Bonus of Rs.1000/- to full time and Part time employees paid from contingencies / employees paid from Special time scale of pay for the accounting year 2022-2023.”According to the announcement in October 2024, a minimum bonus of Rs 8,400 and a maximum bonus of Rs 16,800 was given to all eligible employees of profit-making PSUs in groups C and D. This amounts to an 8.33% bonus and an ex-gratia of 11.67%.
Similarly, the Kerala government last year announced a bonus of Rs 4,000 for its state government employees and teachers for Onam 2024. Employees who were not eligible for the bonus got a festival allowance of Rs 2,750.
