Maharashtra Pre-Election Boost: Shinde Govt Hikes Gratuity, Relaxes Age-Proof Norms For Pensioners

As Maharashtra heads toward the upcoming elections, the Eknath Shinde government has announced an increase in the maximum gratuity for state employees, raising it from Rs 14 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, reports Shishir Arya.

This enhanced gratuity applies to both retirement and death benefits and will cover employees in zilla parishads, government-recognized educational institutions, and non-government colleges affiliated with agricultural universities, according to a report in The Times of India.

Additionally, the government has eased age-proof requirements for pensioners over 80, who have also received a 10% pension increase. Previously, pensioners needed to provide an Aadhaar card, but they can now use documents such as birth certificates, voter IDs, passports, or bank manager-issued certificates.

The changes follow demands from state employee associations, whose leaders met with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde last month to discuss the gratuity limit. This hike is seen as one of several pre-election measures, as the Election Commission is yet to announce the final election dates.

Beyond the gratuity increase, the government is also considering a proposal to raise the income cap for OBC non-creamy layer reservations to Rs 15 lakh. Further announcements include plans to double the monthly "ladki-bahin" allowance for women, increase madrasa teacher salaries, and boost funding for minority organizations.

While announcing polls in J&K and Haryana, the Election Commission in August had said that the elections in Maharashtra were being delayed due to heavy rain, a long festive season and streak of religious events ahead. Moreover, it had cited the high requirement of forces in J&K was one of the reasons why it could not hold elections in the state.