A revised festival benefit package will put higher financial assistance in the hands of thousands of Tripura government employees, workers and pensioners this festive season, with the state also introducing Festival Advance for some categories for the first time.
Key Takeaways
- Tripura has increased the Festival Grant by Rs 300 for eligible categories.
- Regular employees in eligible groups will now receive Rs 20,000 as interest-free Festival Advance.
- Anganwadi workers, helpers and Home Guards will receive Festival Advance for the first time.
The Tripura government has increased the Festival Grant and Festival Advance for state government employees, workers, pensioners and other eligible beneficiaries ahead of Durga Puja. The revised benefits will apply during the 2026-27 financial year.
Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy announced the decisions at a press conference at the Agartala Secretariat on Wednesday. Finance Secretary P.K. Goyal and Additional Secretary Dr Achintyan Sarkar were also present.
The government has allocated Rs 47.16 crore for the Festival Grant. It has also earmarked around Rs 183.77 crore for the Festival Advance.
Festival Grant Increased by Rs 300
The government has raised the Festival Grant by Rs 300 for each eligible category. The revised grant will benefit 2,34,417 employees, workers, pensioners and family pensioners.
The beneficiary group includes 1,48,501 employees and workers. Another 85,916 beneficiaries are pensioners and family pensioners.
Under the new structure, Group-C and Group-D employees will receive Rs 2,400 each. The same amount will go to employees on fixed pay, eligible daily-wage workers appointed with the concurrence of the Finance Department, pensioners, family pensioners and priests of government-managed temples.
The grant for these categories was Rs 2,100 last year.
Part-time, contractual and casual employees will receive Rs 2,610. The same amount will apply to Anganwadi workers and helpers, Home Guards and SPOs, daily-wage workers under the Health Department and contractual employees under the GA (SA) Department.
For these categories, the previous grant stood at Rs 2,310 in 2025-26.
Pump Operators Also Get Higher Grant
The government has also revised the Festival Grant for certain pump operators.
Part-time and irregular pump operators under PWD (DWS) will now receive Rs 1,350. Part-time pump operators under the RD (Panchayat) Department will also receive Rs 1,350.
The previous grant for these categories was Rs 1,050.
The government has allocated an additional Rs 6.14 crore to meet the cost of the enhanced Festival Grant.
One Festival Grant for Eligible Beneficiaries
An eligible employee or beneficiary can claim the Festival Grant for any one of nine prescribed religious festivals during the financial year.
The festivals include Durga Puja, Christmas, Garia Puja, Buddha Purnima, Eid-ul-Zuha, Bengali New Year, Eid-ul-Fitr, Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary and Mahavir Jayanti.
The Finance Minister said eligible beneficiaries will not need to submit an online application for the Festival Grant.
For employees working under Central schemes, however, the concerned administrative department can take the necessary decision.
Festival Advance Raised to Rs 20,000
The government has also substantially increased the interest-free Festival Advance. Around one lakh state government employees and other eligible workers will come under the revised arrangement.
Regular Group-A, Group-B, Group-C and Group-D employees will receive Rs 20,000 each. The same amount will apply to employees on fixed pay and Group-C and Group-D daily-wage workers.
The earlier Festival Advance for the relevant categories ranged between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000. The earlier rates had remained in effect since the 2017-18 financial year.
The revised amount marks a major change in the structure of the interest-free advance.
New Categories Added to Festival Advance
The government has introduced Festival Advance for some categories for the first time.
Anganwadi workers and helpers will receive Rs 5,000 each. Home Guards will also receive Rs 5,000.
ASHA workers receiving remuneration through the National Health Mission will be eligible for Rs 2,000 each as Festival Advance.
The government has set aside around Rs 183.77 crore for the Festival Advance. Together with the revised Festival Grant, the measures expand financial assistance for a wide range of employees, workers and other eligible beneficiaries during the 2026-27 financial year.
