NMMC Approves ₹45,000 Diwali Ex-Gratia For 5,121 Employees, ASHA Workers; ₹23 Crore Expenditure Expected

Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has approved an ex-gratia payment of Rs 45,000 each to its officers, employees, teachers, contractual workers and ASHA volunteers ahead of Diwali. The proposal was approved at the general body meeting held on Friday, bringing festive cheer to thousands of civic employees. The decision is expected to cost the civic body around Rs 23 crore.Additional Relief For Contractual WorkersThe general body also cleared the way for contractual workers to receive additional financial assistance of Rs 7,500 after legal hurdles were resolved. The amount will include arrears dating back to June.Leader of the House Sagar Naik moved the proposal for the Rs 45,000 ex-gratia payment, stating that the decision was aimed at ensuring that employees across all categories received equal financial benefits and that no employee was deprived of the festive celebrations. He said the proposal had been brought forward at the initiative of Forest Minister Ganesh Naik. After the discussion, Mayor Sujata Patil announced the approval of the proposal at the general body meeting.Ex-Gratia Amount Increased Over YearsThe ex-gratia amount paid to NMMC employees has increased steadily over the years. In 2019 and earlier, employees received between Rs 23,500 and Rs 27,000. The amount was increased to Rs 34,500 last year. This year, the civic body has decided to raise it further to Rs 45,000. Senior Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) corporator Shivram Patil demanded that the amount be increased to Rs 50,000.The beneficiaries include regular officers and employees, primary and secondary school teachers, kindergarten teachers and assistants, teachers paid on an honorarium basis, hourly-paid teachers, teachers under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, school meal scheme workers, contractual and honorarium-based staff, and employees working under various government schemes.ASHA Volunteers Receive Equal BenefitsThe benefit will also cover 1,248 workers in the health department, 329 workers from COVID and non-COVID departments, and 243 ASHA volunteers. ASHA volunteers had earlier received ex-gratia payments of Rs 11,500, which were subsequently increased to Rs 18,500. This year, they too will receive Rs 45,000, on par with other employee categories.Employees from the 14 villages recently merged with the municipal corporation will also be eligible for the ex-gratia payment. Corporator Pratiksha Patil had proposed including gram panchayat employees from these villages as well. The general body approved the proposal along with this suggestion. The process of integrating the employees into the civic administration is currently underway. The total number of beneficiaries and the overall expenditure may change once their final strength is determined.Contractual Workers Awaited Additional PaymentThe issue of providing an additional Rs 7,500 to contractual workers had been pending due to legal complications. The administration informed the general body that the wages of these workers, who have been employed on minimum wages since 2015, had not been increased.Additional Municipal Commissioner Sunil Pawar said the Advocate General had raised an objection that increasing the basic wage and special allowance by more than 50% could require government approval. Consequently, the administration sought advice from the Labour Commissioner, labour law experts and a retired judge.Payment Renamed To Resolve IssueThe administration subsequently changed the nature of the payment, renaming it ‘ex-gratia financial assistance’. Leader of the House Sagar Naik said the issue was resolved after clarification that an employer could provide additional payments over and above the minimum wages.Railways Install Barricades At Parsik Hill In CBD Belapur After Minor's Car Plunges 70 Feet Onto TracksAfter the revised proposal was approved by the standing committee, it was also cleared by the general body. This has paved the way for contractual workers to receive the additional Rs 7,500, including arrears from June.Additional Municipal Commissioner Sunil Pawar said that, according to the current estimates, providing Rs 45,000 each to 5,121 employees would cost approximately Rs 23 crore. The civic body will have to restructure its budgetary provisions to implement the decision. The expenditure estimate may also change after the number of employees from the 14 newly merged villages is finalised.The decision is among the key measures taken by the civic body ahead of Diwali, extending financial relief to a wide range of employee categories, from regular civic staff to contractual workers and ASHA volunteers.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/