Give Diwali bonus to BEST employees, says committee

Mumbai: Cutting across party lines, Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) committee members Thursday demanded a Diwali bonus for employees of the BEST.

The meeting saw members threatening that they would not allow the conduct of business if their demands were not fulfilled.

The BEST is already facing a financial crisis; the administration has decided not to give their employees a bonus this year.

Meanwhile, the members said that they would approach Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for the Diwali bonus. The meeting has been adjourned till Friday over the bonus issue. The bonus will put an additional burden of Rs 22 crore on the BEST.

Meanwhile, the BEST has been asked to pay Rs 5 crore monthly to the state government as passenger tax and nutrition surcharge.

Shiv Sena committee member Suhas Samant said that all organisations, including the railway and the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) were undergoing losses. Despite this, they were giving bonus to their employees. He also demanded that the bonus be increased.

As soon as the BEST committee meeting commenced, the Sena members started shouting slogans, demanding a Diwali bonus for employees.

Sena corporator and member Anil Kokil said that the general manager did not have any intention of paying the bonus. The BEST should pay bonus like the BMC is doing.