Vasundhara Raje govt gives Diwali bonus, then rescinds

It was supposed to be a bumper Diwali for thousands of employees in Rajasthan’s three power distribution companies and the state roadways transport corporation but just two days before the festival, all dreams turned into despair.

Two weeks ago, these employees were beaming with joy when the state government not only announced bonus before Diwali but also doubled the amount to Rs 7,000, at par with Central government employees.

However, just two days before the festival, the bonus order came with a shocking rider. Playing a cruel joke with the employees eagerly waiting for the annual Diwali bonus, they were asked, — in the order — to forgo the bonus considering poor financial condition of the power companies. However, the order made it look like a request.

“Looking into the background of heavy losses being suffered by the power companies, an option may be given to the employees to whom ex-gratia is being allowed, to forgo the same if he/she so desires willingly/happily in the interest of the power companies,” the order issued by Jaipur Discom’s chief accounts officer said.

As the news spread about the offer, employees were taken aback and started asking if any senior level official had set an example by following such an order. According to them, the poor financial condition is not new but never ever a senior officer offered to forgo his bonus. “Has any officer offered similar gesture before ” an employee asked. However, Jaipur Discom employees can take consolation as they have only been requested to forgo the bonus while they are still getting their monthly salary regularly. Their pears in the state roadways corporation have been forced to observe “black Diwali, as, forget bonus, even the salary of October would be released next month”. After the finance department rejected Roadways authorities’ request to release Rs 14 crore for bonus, managing director Rajesh Yadav said that the roadways is not in condition to give bonus to 17,000 employees. Unlike other state government employees, the roadways staff will get their salaries in November.

Further, rubbing salt to their wounds, the roadways employees have been told that they would get October salary in November unlike rest of the government employees who got their salaries on Friday.

The state government had ordered the release of the October salary before Diwali.

General secretary of Unified Employees Union of Rajasthan, Tej Singh, said that in small scale industries, the government has not given bonus for the past three years. There have been anomalies, too, while deciding eligibility criteria for bonus given to employees of boards and corporations because of which most employees would not get bonus.