Despite facing a serious financial crisis, Kerala's CPI (M)-led Left government on Monday announced a bonus of Rs 4,000 for state sector employees in connection with the upcoming Onam season.?? ?

In a statement, state Finance Minister K N Balagopal said those government employees who are not entitled to the bonus would get Rs 2,750 as a special festival allowance.
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The special assistance and benefits will reach more than 13 lakh employees and labourers working in the government sector on the occasion of Onam, he said.
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Service pensioners and employees who retired under the contributory pension scheme would get a special festival allowance of Rs 1,000.
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While all state sector employees would be entitled to a festival advance of Rs 20,000, part-time and contingent staff would get an advance of Rs 6,000 on their salaries, the minister added.
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All categories of employees, including contract-scheme workers who received bonuses last year, will get the bonus this year at the same rate, the statement added.
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The Left government announced the Onam bonus for state sector employees on a day the ruling CPI(M) accused the BJP-led centre of imposing sanctions on the southern state.?
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Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had harshly criticised the BJP-led central government in the state Assembly recently for ignoring Kerala without providing financial aid.