The Indian Express   01.08.2012

Civic panel hikes festival advance for staff to Rs 8,000

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) standing committee on Tuesday approved proposal to increase the cash advance given to civic staff for celebrating select festivals. The panel has increased the amount from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 this year onwards.

“The civic body provides cash in advance to civic staff for celebrating festivals. The amount of Rs 5,000 was not enough as there has been a substantial increase in prices of consumer goods. Hence, it has been increased to Rs 8,000,” said Baburao Chandere, chairman of the standing committee.

He said the advance will be given before Ramzan and Diwali.

“The amount will be recovered in ten installments from the salaries,” he added. The amount will be in addition to the bonus given by the civic body during Diwali.

Meanwhile, the committee referred to municipal commission the proposal of octroi exemption on spareparts purchased every year by the PMPML for repair and maintenance of buses. The transport utility which is incurring huge losses had proposed that the octroi charges on spareparts of PMPML buses be cancelled so that some of the losses could be made up.