Pongal 2025: Tamil Nadu government employees not happy with current bonus, demand more

Tamil Nadu is gearing up to celebrate Pongal festival which includes Thai Pongal on January 14, Thiruvalluvar Day on January 15, and Farmers' Day on January 16. CM M.K. Stalin announced the Pongal bonus for government employees and teachers. The Tamil Nadu Government Employees' Association has expressed its strong condemnation of the state government's discriminatory stance, stating that the bonus provided is unacceptable.

In a statement, Tamil Nadu Government Employees Association State President Su. Tamilchelvi and General Secretary Su. Jayaraj Rajeswaran said: The Tamil Nadu government has announced a goodwill amount of Rs.3000 for 'C' and 'D' category employees and teachers, and Rs.1000 for consolidated pay, special time scale salary employees, and full-time and part-time employees who have worked for at least 240 days in the financial year 2023-2024 and receive a fixed monthly salary under petty expenses.

According to the amended Bonus Act issued by the Central Government in 2006, Central Government employees have been receiving Rs.7,000 as bonus since 2006. Following this, employees working in public sector undertakings in Tamil Nadu are given a bonus of Rs.7,000. However, it is not acceptable to give only Rs.3,000 bonus to Tamil Nadu government employees and teachers. We strongly condemn this discriminatory stance of the state government.

They have demanded that all government employees and teachers in Tamil Nadu should be given a Pongal bonus of Rs.7,000, similar to what the Central Government provides. They also demanded that the bonus and consolidated pay withheld for A&B category officers and employees working on special time scale wages should be given a Pongal bonus of Rs.7000 without any discrimination.