The Uttar Pradesh government has approved a 30-day ad-hoc Diwali bonus for eligible state government employees for the financial year 2025-26, with the maximum payout fixed at ₹6,908 per employee.
The Finance Department Principal Secretary, Alok Kumar, issued the government order on 5 November 2026 after the Governor’s approval, and it was publicly announced on 6 November, according to news agency reports. The bonus covers non-gazetted state government staff and eligible employees of aided educational institutions, technical educational institutions, local bodies and district panchayats. Around 14.82 lakh employees are expected to benefit.
Only 25% of the bonus will be paid in cash. The remaining 75% will be credited to employees’ General Provident Fund (GPF) accounts. For employees who are not members of the GPF, the savings component will be routed through National Savings Certificates (NSC) or Public Provident Fund (PPF) deposits. The maximum monthly salary for calculating the bonus has been fixed at ₹7,000. Daily-wage employees have been brought under the scheme separately, with their bonus capped at ₹1,184.
Employees who retired after 31 March 2026, or are scheduled to retire by 30 April 2027, will receive the entire amount in cash.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath linked the decision to the festive mood on Dhanteras in a social media message. “Embracing the ‘Vocal for Local’ vision of our respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi, please choose ODOP (One District One Product) items as gifts this Dhanteras. Let us celebrate a ‘Local Diwali’ and contribute to the creation of an ‘Atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant) Uttar Pradesh,” he wrote.
The order follows the Union Finance Ministry’s 15 October 2026 notification sanctioning a 30-day ad-hoc bonus for eligible Central Government employees for the same financial year, and extends a similar benefit at the state level. The payout date for the UP bonus is not specified in the order.
