Government servants to get INR 10,000 as festival advance

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct 13 (EMN): The Government of India has decided to give a ‘special festival package,’ funds of an amount of INR 10,000 in advance, to government servants for any important festival.

It stated that the order would take effect from October 12 and would be in force during the current financial year till March 31 2021.

An office memorandum signed by BK Manthan, deputy secretary to the government of India, was sent out to all the ministries and departments of the government of India on October 12, stating “Grant of advance - special festival package to government servants”.

The note stated that “with a view to enable government servants to meet expenses relating to festivals and to encourage spending thereby giving a boost to economic activities, in pursuance of decision taken by the government, it has been decided that a special festival package of advance will be accorded to all government servants for any important festival up to March 31, 2021”.

It stated that the head of office may sanction the special package on the eve of any important festival to any central government servant under his administrative control.

The term “important festival” is clarified as festivals that the head of department may declare in respect of the establishment under their control, it stated.

The fund in the amount of INR 10,000 is to be paid as advance, and the amount would be released through a pre-loaded Rupay card from SBI.

DDOs, on receipt of application from government servants for this package, may process and acquire the prepaid cards from the SBI for issue among the applicants, where detailed SOP for DDOs for obtaining the cards would be separately issued, it mentioned.

It informed that the package may be granted to government servants who are on duty or on leave excluding leave preparatory to retirement, on the date on which the advance is to be disbursed.   

Also, the fund paid as part of this package will not be more than 10 instalments.

The message also requested the ministries and departments to bring the contents of the office memorandum to the notice of all its attached and subordinate offices for information and necessary action.