Agartala, 23rd September 2026 : In a pre-Durga Puja relief measure, the Tripura government has enhanced the Festival Grant and Festival Advance for a wide range of government employees, workers, pensioners and other eligible beneficiaries.
Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy announced the revised benefits at a press conference at the Civil Secretariat here on Wednesday. Finance Secretary P.K. Goel and Additional Secretary Dr Achintan Sarkar were also present.
According to the Finance Minister, the government has earmarked Rs 47.16 crore for the Festival Grant during the 2026-27 financial year. The revised grant will benefit 2,34,417 people, including 1,48,531 employees and workers and 85,916 pensioners and family pensioners.
For Group-C and Group-D employees, fixed-pay staff, eligible daily-wage workers, pensioners, family pensioners and priests serving in government-managed temples, the Festival Grant has been raised from Rs 2,100 to Rs 2,400.
Similarly, part-time, contractual and casual employees, Anganwadi workers and helpers, Home Guards, SPOs, Health Department daily-wage workers and contractual staff under the DA (SA) Department will now receive Rs 2,610, against Rs 2,310 last year.
The Festival Grant for part-time and irregular pump operators under PWD (DWS) and part-time pump operators under the RD (Panchayat) Department has also been increased from Rs 1,050 to Rs 1,350.
The government has provided an additional Rs 6.14 crore to meet the expenditure arising from the enhanced grant. Beneficiaries can claim the grant for any one of nine notified festivals during the financial year, including Durga Puja, Christmas, Garia Puja, Buddha Purnima, Eid-ul-Zuha, Bengali New Year, Eid-ul-Fitr, Guru Nanak Jayanti and Mahavir Jayanti.
No online application will be required to avail the Festival Grant. However, for employees working under Central government schemes, the concerned administrative departments will take the appropriate decision.
The government has simultaneously announced a major revision of the Festival Advance, for which around Rs 183.77 crore has been allocated. Nearly one lakh employees and other eligible workers are expected to benefit from the interest-free facility.
Under the new arrangement, regular Group-A, B, C and D employees, fixed-pay employees and eligible daily-wage Group-C and D workers will be entitled to a Festival Advance of Rs 20,000. The earlier amount for these categories ranged between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000.
For the first time, Anganwadi workers and helpers and Home Guards have also been brought under the Festival Advance scheme, with an entitlement of Rs 5,000 each. ASHA workers receiving remuneration through the National Health Mission will be eligible for an advance of Rs 2,000.
The enhanced benefits are expected to provide additional financial support to employees and other eligible beneficiaries ahead of the festive season.
