The government of Tamil Nadu announced Deepavali bonus for employees working in the state’s public sector undertakings to the tune of Rs 210.48 crore. The bonus is expected to benefit 2,91,975 employees working in the public sector units in Tamil Nadu. The announcement came weeks before Deepavali, one of the major festivals celebrated across India. 

In a press release issued on Monday, the state government said that the bonus amounting to 10% will be disbursed to these employees. Referring to the general slump in the economy due to the COVID-19 impact, the press release also said that this bonus will help workers celebrate the festival with much more joy. 

Ahead of Deepavali, the state government permitted all commercial establishments to resume functioning till 10 pm. Announcing this on October 21, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami said that this decision was taken keeping in mind the festival season and the need to revive the economy. As per the announcement, the shops and other commercial establishments will have to adhere to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the state government. 

The Chief Minister also requested people to avoid crowding in shops and other public places and follow the basic hygiene protocols like wearing masks, maintaining physical distance between each other and washing hands using soap frequently.

Recently, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) had sealed a showroom of Kumaran Silks in T Nagar after a video of customers crowding inside the shop went viral. Ganapathy Silks in Coimbatore city also was made to pay a fine for violating the SOPs issued by the Coimbatore Corporation while allowing the members of the public to shop in its premises. Over the weekend, several videos of busy streets in Chennai’s T Nagar, showing the crowd of shoppers, also went viral on social media. Every year, the period between September and December is a money-spinner for traders since several festivals are celebrated over a period of four months.