After 5-yr delay, BEST begins disbursing Covid allowance to over 9,000 retired staff
Nearly 10,000 retired BEST employees finally receive pending Covid-19 allowances as the undertaking clears a ₹29.22 crore payout amid ongoing gratuity delays.
A BEST official said the current disbursal is being carried out in phases and includes retired employees (Source: BEST website) After nearly five years of delay, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) has started disbursing Rs 29.22 crore in pending Covid-19 allowance to 9,077 retired employees.
The allowance was introduced in 2020 at Rs 300 per day for staff deployed on essential services during the Covid-19 lockdown, when BEST buses continued operating despite severe restrictions. While payments were made for the initial lockdown period, the benefit was discontinued after December 2020, leaving dues for subsequent months unpaid.
Union representatives say the latest payout, though welcome, is incomplete.
“After a delay of nearly five years, the Covid allowance has finally been released. However, gratuity payments for several employees are still pending, and around 1,000 workers are yet to receive the allowance,” said Shashank Rao.
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