NMMC Approves ₹45,000 Diwali Bonus for 5,121 Employees and ASHA Workers

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has approved a Diwali ex-gratia payment of ₹45,000 each for 5,121 employees and other eligible workers, with the total expenditure estimated at ₹23 crore. The decision will benefit civic staff, teachers, contractual workers, and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), providing financial support ahead of the festive season.

The proposal received approval at the civic body's general body meeting on Friday. The decision aims to extend equal festive benefits to different categories of workers who contribute to the city's public services. Contractual employees will also receive additional financial assistance of ₹7,500, including pending payments from June.

NMMC Approves ₹45,000 Diwali Ex-Gratia Payment

Leader of the House Sagar Naik introduced the proposal to provide ₹45,000 to eligible employees and workers. He said the decision would help ensure that staff members across different categories receive equal financial benefits and can celebrate Diwali with greater comfort.

The proposal was introduced at the initiative of Forest Minister Ganesh Naik. Following discussions at the meeting, Mayor Sujata Patil announced its approval.

The payment will cover regular officers and employees, primary and secondary school teachers, kindergarten teachers and assistants, contractual staff, honorarium-based workers, and employees associated with various government schemes.

Contractual Workers to Receive Additional ₹7,500

Along with the Diwali ex-gratia payment, NMMC has approved an additional financial benefit of ₹7,500 for contractual workers. The payment will include arrears dating back to June.

The proposal had been pending because of legal concerns over changes to the wages and allowances of contractual employees. These workers have been receiving minimum wages since 2015, without an increase in their wages, according to the civic administration.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Sunil Pawar explained that the Advocate General had raised concerns about increasing the basic wage and special allowance by more than 50% without government approval. Following this, the administration consulted the Labour Commissioner, labor law experts, and a retired judge to identify a suitable solution.

The administration later revised the payment structure and classified the amount as ex-gratia financial assistance. Sagar Naik said the issue was resolved after clarification that employers could provide additional payments beyond the prescribed minimum wages.

After receiving approval from the standing committee, the revised proposal was cleared by the general body, allowing the additional payment to move forward.

Diwali Benefits Extended to ASHA Volunteers and Teachers

The ₹45,000 ex-gratia payment will cover several categories of employees and workers associated with NMMC's civic, education, and health services.

Eligible beneficiaries include:

• Regular municipal officers and employees
• Primary and secondary school teachers
• Kindergarten teachers and assistants
• Honorarium-based and hourly-paid teachers
• Teachers working under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan
• School meal scheme workers
• Contractual employees and honorarium-based staff
• Workers employed under various government schemes
• Eligible health department workers and ASHA volunteers

The civic body has also included 1,248 health department workers, 329 workers from COVID and non-COVID departments, and 243 ASHA volunteers among the listed beneficiary groups.

ASHA volunteers will receive ₹45,000 each, bringing their benefits in line with other eligible employee categories. Their ex-gratia payment had previously increased from ₹11,500 to ₹18,500 before the latest revision.

NMMC Raises Diwali Ex-Gratia Amount Over the Years

The ex-gratia amount provided to NMMC employees has increased steadily over the years. In 2019 and earlier, eligible employees received between ₹23,500 and ₹27,000. The amount was subsequently increased to ₹34,500 last year.

This year, the civic body has raised the payment to ₹45,000. During the general body meeting, senior Shiv Sena corporator Shivram Patil from the Shinde faction suggested increasing the amount further to ₹50,000.

The latest approval represents a significant increase in festive financial assistance for municipal employees and other eligible workers.

Employees From 14 Newly Merged Villages Also Eligible

Employees associated with the 14 villages recently merged with NMMC will also be eligible for the ex-gratia payment.

Corporator Pratiksha Patil proposed extending the benefit to gram panchayat employees from these villages. The general body approved the proposal along with this recommendation.

The process of integrating these employees into the municipal administration is currently underway. As a result, the final number of beneficiaries may change once the total employee strength from the newly merged villages is confirmed.

NMMC Estimates ₹23 Crore Expenditure for Diwali Payments

According to Additional Municipal Commissioner Sunil Pawar, the civic body expects to spend approximately ₹23 crore to provide ₹45,000 each to the 5,121 listed beneficiaries.

NMMC will need to adjust its budgetary provisions to implement the decision. The final expenditure may also change after the eligible workforce from the 14 merged villages is confirmed.

The decision provides festive financial support to a broad range of municipal workers, including regular employees, teachers, contractual staff, and ASHA volunteers. With the additional ₹7,500 assistance approved for contractual workers, the civic body has also addressed a long-pending payment issue ahead of Diwali.