Diwali Festival Advance 2026: Central Govt Employees Ko Kitna Milega, Apply Kaise Karein

Diwali 2026 (20 October) aayi aur gayi — lekin Festival Advance ke baare mein bahut log abhi bhi confuse hain. Central Government employees ke liye Festival Advance Scheme ek interest-free loan facility hai jo major festivals — Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Holi — par available hoti hai. Yeh advance salary ka part nahi hai, balki ek short-term government loan hai jo monthly installments mein recover hota hai.

Festival Advance Apply Kaise Karein?

1. Application form: HR department ya DDO (Drawing and Disbursing Officer) se Form (GA-32 ya department-specific form) lein
2. Festival specify karein: Form mein festival name aur date mention karein
3. DDO ko submit karein: Festival se pehle minimum 15 days advance mein apply karein (late application accept nahi hoti usually)
4. DDO verification: DDO service record check karega aur previous advance outstanding nahi hona chahiye
5. Payment: Advance salary ke saath ya alag credit ho sakta hai — bank account mein
6. Recovery start: Advance milne ke baad next month se salary se deduction start

Festival Advance vs Diwali Bonus — Kya Fark Hai?

Central Govt Diwali Bonus 2026

Festival Advance ke alawa, Central Government non-gazetted employees ko Productivity-Linked Bonus (PLB) ya Non-PLB (Ad-hoc) Bonus milta hai Diwali season mein. Cabinet typically October mein yeh announce karta hai:

• Calculation: Rs 7,000 per month cap (32 days equivalent) — actual bonus = (7000 ÷ 30.4) × 30 days = Rs 6,908 maximum approximately
• Who gets PLB: Departments with measurable productivity (Railways, Post, Defence civilians, etc.)
• Who gets Non-PLB: Other Central Govt non-gazetted employees
• Payment timing: Before Diwali — usually October payroll

State Govt Festival Advance — Kuch States Ka Overview

State governments apne employees ko alag festival advance schemes deti hain — amounts aur eligibility vary karti hai:

• UP: State govt employees ko Diwali bonus + advance — check UP Finance Department notification
• Maharashtra: MSEB, state employees — department-wise advance available
• Tamil Nadu: Pongal bonus/advance — separate state scheme
• West Bengal: Durga Puja bonus — major state employees benefit
• Rajasthan, MP: Festival advance on par with central govt structure generally

PSU Employees Ke Liye Festival Benefits

Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) apni HR policy ke hisaab se festival benefits dete hain — yeh central govt circular se alag hota hai:

• Many PSUs (SBI, LIC, ONGC, BHEL, etc.) offer Diwali ex-gratia ya advance
• Amount aur eligibility PSU ke collective bargaining agreement (settlement) mein hoti hai
• PSU employees ko apne HR department se specific policy confirm karni chahiye

Private Company Employees Ko Kya Milta Hai?

Private sector mein koi mandatory Diwali advance ya bonus law nahi hai (sirf Payment of Bonus Act applicable hai — profit-sharing basis par). Agar aapki company 20+ employees ki hai aur minimum 5 saal purani hai, toh Bonus Act ke under salary-based bonus eligible ho sakte hain — lekin yeh Diwali-specific nahi hai, yeh annual bonus hai.

Festival Advance Tax Mein Kaise Show Hoga?

Festival advance ek loan hai — Form 16 ya ITR mein income ke roop mein nahi aata. Recovery (deduction from salary) bhi tax-deductible nahi hai. Purely a loan transaction — koi tax implication nahi.