Agartala, September 23: The Tripura government has increased the festival grant for government employees, workers and pensioners by ₹300 and substantially raised the interest-free festival advance ahead of Durga Puja.
Announcing the measures at the Secretariat here on Wednesday, Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy said ₹47.16 crore had been earmarked for the festival grant and around ₹183.77 crore for the festival advance for 2026-27.
The enhanced festival grant will benefit 2,34,417 employees, workers, pensioners and family pensioners, including 1,48,501 employees and workers and 85,916 pensioners and family pensioners, the Minister said.
Under the revised rates, Group C and Group D employees, fixed-pay employees, eligible daily-rated workers, pensioners, family pensioners and priests of government-run temples will receive ₹2,400. The amount was ₹2,100 last year.
Part-time, contractual and casual workers, Anganwadi workers and helpers, Home Guards and SPOs, daily-rated workers under the Health Department and contractual employees under the GA (SA) Department will receive ₹2,610, against ₹2,310 in 2025-26.
The festival grant for part-time and irregular pump operators under PWD (DWS) and part-time pump operators under the RD (Panchayat) Department has also been increased, from ₹1,050 to ₹1,350.
The government has made an additional provision of ₹6.14 crore to meet the cost of the enhanced grant. Eligible beneficiaries can avail themselves of the grant for any one of nine designated festivals in a financial year, including Durga Puja, Christmas, Garia Puja, Buddha Purnima, Eid-ul-Adha, Bengali New Year, Eid-ul-Fitr, Guru Nanak Jayanti and Mahavir Jayanti.
No online application will be required to receive the festival grant, Mr Roy said. For employees engaged under centrally sponsored schemes, the concerned administrative departments may take a decision on extending the benefit.
Festival advance raised sharply
The government has also revised the interest-free festival advance, with around one lakh state government employees and other eligible workers expected to benefit.
Regular Group A, B, C and D employees, fixed-pay employees and eligible daily-rated Group C and D workers will now receive an advance of ₹20,000. The earlier amount for these categories was between ₹4,000 and ₹5,000.
The revised advance marks a substantial increase over the rates that had been in force since 2017-18, according to the government.
For the first time, Anganwadi workers and helpers and Home Guards will be covered under the festival advance scheme, with ₹5,000 available to each. ASHA workers receiving remuneration through the National Health Mission will be eligible for an advance of ₹2,000.
Finance Secretary P.K. Goel and Additional Secretary Dr Achintya Sarkar were present at the press conference.
