MSRTC announces ₹10,000 Diwali bonus for 83,000 employees, hikes DA to 60%

Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees will receive a Diwali bonus of ₹10,000 each, while the dearness allowance (DA) has been increased from 58 per cent to 60 per cent, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced on Thursday.The decision will benefit around 83,000 employees of the state-run transport undertaking. Eligible employees will also receive an advance of ₹12,500 for the festival, Sarnaik said.The announcement was made at a meeting with representatives of various employee unions of the MSRTC at the Transport Commissioner's office in Bandra here.MSRTC, the largest state-run public transport undertaking in the country, has a fleet of nearly 15,000 buses and ferries around 55 lakh passengers daily.The decisions regarding bonus and DA will put an additional burden of around ₹160 crore on the corporation, the minister said.Despite the corporation facing financial difficulties, the government was committed to ensuring that employees celebrate Diwali, he said."ST officers and employees work round the clock to provide safe travel to lakhs of passengers.

Providing them a bonus on the occasion of Diwali is not merely an act of generosity but their right," Sarnaik said.He appealed to employees not to resort to protests or strikes, saying any agitation could inconvenience ordinary passengers who depend on the state transport undertaking.The minister said the government and the corporation were committed to resolving employees' issues through dialogue while improving passenger services and strengthening the MSRTC's financial position.