Central Govt. Employees Granted Non-Productivity Linked Bonus
In a recent development, the Ministry of Finance has officially sanctioned the grant of Non-Productivity Linked Bonus (Ad-hoc Bonus) for Central Government Employees for the accounting year 2022-23. This bonus is equivalent to 30 days’ emoluments and is specifically extended to Central Government employees in Group ‘C’ and non-gazetted employees in Group ‘B,’ who are not covered by any Productivity Linked Bonus Scheme. The calculation ceiling for the payment of this ad-hoc bonus is set at monthly emoluments of Rs. 7,000. This bonus isn’t limited to just Central Government employees; it also applies to eligible personnel in Central Para Military Forces and Armed Forces, as well as employees in Union Territory Administrations that follow the Central Government pattern of emoluments and lack other bonus or ex-gratia schemes.
Terms and Conditions for Bonus Eligibility and Calculation
To qualify for this bonus, employees must have been in service as of March 31, 2023, and have rendered at least six months of continuous service during the year 2022-23. Pro-rata payment will be granted based on the period of continuous service during the year, with the eligibility period rounded off to the nearest number of months.
The calculation of Non-PLB (Ad-hoc bonus) will be based on the average emoluments or the calculation ceiling, whichever is lower. To calculate the bonus for one day, the average emoluments in a year are divided by 30.4 (the average number of days in a month), then multiplied by the number of days of bonus granted. For example, if the calculation ceiling for monthly emoluments is Rs. 7,000 (and actual average emoluments exceed this amount), Non-PLB (Ad-hoc Bonus) for thirty days would work out to Rs. 6,908. All payments will be rounded off to the nearest rupee.
These bonus provisions also cover casual laborers who meet specific service duration criteria. The expenditure for this bonus will be debited according to the Department of Expenditure’s notification. It is to be met from the sanctioned budget provisions of the concerned Ministries/Departments for the current year. These orders are issued in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India as mandated under Article 148(5) of the Constitution of India, particularly concerning persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department.