Forty-six thousand employees of Brihanmumbai Electric and Suburban Transport (BEST) will finally receive ex-gratia after a gap of three years. They will be paid bonus of Rs 5,000 this Diwali.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has given a loan of Rs 1,600 crore to BEST towards which, the latter pays monthly installments of Rs 40 crore, including principal amount of Rs 30 crore and interest of Rs 10 crore. As per the solution reached between officials of both authorities, for one month, BEST will give only interest and not pay the principal amount to BMC. BEST employees will be paid ex-gratia from this principal amount. However, BEST will hereon pay an increased monthly installment of Rs 42 crore to BMC to compensate for this.
It was Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who after reviewing BEST’s financial condition, suggested the bonus be paid from the principal amount of loan. BEST general manager and municipal commissioner agreed to it, said BEST committee chairman Arun Dudhwadkar.
