The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will pay a Diwali bonus of Rs 33,000 to more than 83,000 officers and employees, according to an announcement by Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawade after a meeting with civic administrators and employee representatives.
The payment is scheduled to be made along with salaries on November 2, allowing eligible employees to receive their wages and bonus together before the festival. The announcement represents an increase over the Rs 31,000 ex-gratia payment reported for 2024-25.
Tawade said the decision took into account employees’ contribution to Mumbai’s development work, as well as their demand for a higher payment. The meeting was attended by officials including Kishor Gandhi and Devdas Kshirsagar, along with representatives of the workers’ committee.
The report also cites figures for the BMC’s education department, stating that it has 93,509 employees and 2,360 teachers. The figures differ from the separate description of more than 83,000 employees covered by the bonus announcement, and the supplied report does not provide a further explanation of the distinction.
Tawade said bonus payments have generally increased by around Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 each year. She described the latest increase as a decision reached after discussions on the corporation’s financial circumstances and the demands raised by employees.
The mayor also referred to wider economic challenges in Maharashtra, including the drought situation, and said the decision sought to balance employee demands with the state’s circumstances. She added that Mumbai had a social responsibility to remain mindful of the difficulties faced by farmers.
The meeting also covered other civic workforce and service-delivery issues. On complaints about poor-quality food in BMC schools, Tawade said the concerned non-governmental organisation should be suspended if an inquiry confirms the allegations. She said children’s health could not be compromised.
Questions were also raised about the quality of tablets distributed to students in BMC schools. Tawade said the BMC commissioner should examine the matter seriously if the devices were found to be substandard. She further said she would discuss the bonus demand of Accredited Social Health Activist, or ASHA, volunteers with the commissioner and seek an appropriate solution for them.
The immediate next step for BMC employees is the scheduled joint payment of salary and the Rs 33,000 bonus on November 2.
