Government employees’ Pongal plans sink as bonus remains only on paper

COIMBATORE: The state government employees, who were planning to celebrate Pongal with the bonus money, were a disappointed lot as the state government failed to credit the same to their accounts as promised during the festival period. Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had announced a Pongal bonus of Rs 3,000 for the C and D grade government employees and Rs 1,000 for the anganwadi staff on January 9. They are, however, yet to get the bonus.
According to sources, head constables to grade I police constables were eligible for a bonus of Rs 3,000. With many of them drawing a meagre monthly salary, they were betting big on the bonus amount to celebrate Pongal along with their families. But the government had not provided them the bonus amount till Tuesday.

"We used to get the bonus two days ahead of Pongal and we were able to buy grocery items to celebrate the festival. Thinking that the bonus will be credited anytime, we have been checking the bank accounts since Saturday (January 13). The amount is yet to be credited to our accounts," said a police constable.

Likewise, office assistants, junior assistants, village administrative officers, revenue inspectors were also expecting the bonus amount of Rs 3,000. "The state government usually announces the bonus more than a week ahead of Pongal and pass a government order immediately. But this year, the government announced the bonus only on January 9. We received the government order two days later. Though we sent employee details to the treasury, banks were closed for the festival. So, the process to credit bonus was stopped. The employees will likely get the bonus amount in two days," said an officer attached to the revenue department.

The finance department had last year divided government employees into A, B, C and D grades.