PMC Diwali Bonus 2026: Rs 27,000 Extra Plus 8.33% Ex-Gratia for About 18,000 Employees; Five-Year Deal Raises Payout by Rs 2,000 Every Year
About 18,000 PMC employees will get an extra Rs 27,000 on top of 8.33% ex-gratia this Diwali, under a proposed five-year deal that adds Rs 2,000 every year.
Photo: DesiBoy101 / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pune, 1st November 2026: About 18,000 employees of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will get their Diwali bonus under a new five-year formula. Mayor Manjusha Nagpure has announced that staff will receive an additional payout of Rs 27,000 for 2025-26, on top of an ex-gratia amount equal to 8.33% of their combined basic pay and dearness allowance. The decision was finalised at a meeting of party leaders.
The bigger change is the multi-year structure. The extra payout will rise by Rs 2,000 every year, reaching Rs 35,000 in 2029-30. That gives employees and the civic body certainty instead of the yearly negotiation and agitation that usually precede Diwali.
The five-year schedule
| Year | Additional payout | Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Rs 27,000 | 8.33% of basic + DA |
| 2026-27 | Rs 29,000 | 8.33% of basic + DA |
| 2027-28 | Rs 31,000 | 8.33% of basic + DA |
| 2028-29 | Rs 33,000 | 8.33% of basic + DA |
| 2029-30 | Rs 35,000 | 8.33% of basic + DA |
The table is worked out from the announced starting amount and the Rs 2,000 annual increase.
Who is covered
- PMC officers and employees
- Daily-wage workers
- Teaching and non-teaching staff in the secondary and technical education departments
- Education Board employees
- Nursery teachers and attendants
Shikshan Sevaks in the primary education department will get an extra Rs 10,000 plus 8.33% of their salary.
New recruits qualify after one year of service and at least 180 days of attendance in the financial year, and their payout will be in proportion to attendance. Maternity, medical and other leave does not count towards the 180 days, but special medical leave for injuries on duty does.
What still needs to happen
The five-year agreement has to be signed with the workers’ unions. To avoid delaying the festival payment, the proposal is to release the 2025-26 bonus before the agreement is finalised. If the 2026-27 budget does not have enough money under the relevant head, the Municipal Commissioner can move funds from other heads. The PMC has not said what the bonus will cost in total.
What it means for the city
For a family on a sweeper’s or clerk’s salary, Rs 27,000 plus ex-gratia is a big part of the year’s festival spending, and much of it will flow straight into local markets like Tulshibaug, Mandai and the neighbourhood kirana stores in the week before Lakshmi Puja on 8 November.
For citizens, the question is the other side of the ledger. The PMC is spending on bonuses at a time when it is also planning water cuts and big-ticket projects such as a ropeway to Parvati. A predictable five-year bonus is easier to budget than a yearly surprise, which is a point in its favour.
Shopping this week? Our guide to Diwali shopping in Pune’s markets has the best areas for each kind of purchase.
Frequently asked questions
How much Diwali bonus will PMC employees get in 2026?
An additional Rs 27,000 for 2025-26, plus an ex-gratia amount equal to 8.33% of basic pay and dearness allowance.
How many PMC employees will get the Diwali bonus?
About 18,000 employees, including officers, staff, daily-wage workers and education department employees.
How much will the PMC bonus increase every year?
The additional payout will rise by Rs 2,000 a year under the proposed five-year deal, reaching Rs 35,000 in 2029-30.
