**Uttar Pradesh Government to Announce Major Festive Relief Package for Employees and Teachers**
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government is preparing to announce a significant festive relief package aimed at benefiting its employees and teachers ahead of Diwali. Nearly 1.5 million non-gazetted staff and educators in the state are expected to receive both bonuses and an increased dearness allowance (DA), following the Centre’s recent decision to enhance benefits for its workforce.
Officials have confirmed that the bonus amount could reach up to ₹7,000, bringing much-needed cheer to employees across various departments. This move will cover state government staff, teachers, and teaching-support personnel, ensuring a broader reach of financial relief during the festive season.
In addition to the bonus, the DA rate for employees under the 7th Pay Commission will be revised upward from 55% to 58%. This revision will lead to higher payouts in monthly salaries, benefiting serving employees significantly. The relief package will also extend to pensioners, with nearly 1.2 million retirees in Uttar Pradesh expected to benefit from an increased rate of dearness relief, consistent with the hike granted to active employees.
The financial impact of this double benefit package is expected to be substantial. Estimates suggest that the bonus payout alone will impose a burden of nearly ₹1,000 crore on the state treasury. However, officials have maintained that this decision aligns with the festive season customs when governments traditionally provide economic relief to their staff.
Sources indicate that the official announcement is likely to be made within the first week of October, well ahead of the Diwali holidays. It is important to note that employees covered under the 5th and 6th Pay Commissions may see their DA hikes implemented at a later stage after the current package is rolled out to 7th Pay Commission beneficiaries.
Currently, Uttar Pradesh has around 14.81 lakh non-gazetted staff, work-charge employees, and daily wage earners who are eligible for bonus payments. This decision is expected to have a widespread positive impact, directly benefiting households across the state during the festive period.
This initiative follows the Centre’s recent move to grant both bonus and DA hikes to central employees, setting a precedent that state governments often emulate. With the upcoming festive season, the Uttar Pradesh government’s announcement is anticipated to provide a major boost for employees and pensioners alike.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/up-govt-plans-festive-bonanza-bonus-da-hike-for-15-lakh-employees-teachers