30-day Diwali bonus for defence personnel: The Ministry of Defence said in a new order that Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), Other Ranks (ORs), and Agniveers serving in the Army, Navy, and Air Force will now get the same bonus benefit for the financial year 2024-25. This bonus was approved as part of the Finance Ministry’s order issued on September 29, 2025. The government has already paid the bonus to these personnel before Diwali so they can celebrate the festival with happiness.
What is this bonus?
This special payment is called a non-productivity-linked bonus, also known as an ad-hoc bonus. It is a yearly bonus that the government gives to certain central government employees. These employees do not fall under the productivity-linked bonus scheme, which is based on measurable performance or output.
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For example, factory workers, railways, and postal staff get productivity-linked bonuses based on how much work or output they produce. But this non-productivity-linked bonus is not tied to any kind of performance. It is given as a friendly gesture to show appreciation and to maintain balance among different departments.
The article says, “While productivity-linked bonuses are tied to measurable performance or output (for example, in factories, railways, or postal services), the non-productivity-linked bonus is given as a goodwill and recognition gesture, not linked to productivity.”
In simple words, it is a flat bonus amount that the government gives to thank its employees for their work during the year. The timing of the announcement is also special since such bonuses usually come before major festivals like Diwali to spread joy and motivate workers.
How much will each person get?
According to the Finance Ministry’s order (O.M. No. 7/24/2007/E III(A) dated September 29, 2025), the non-productivity-linked bonus for the year 2024-25 equals 30 days’ pay, with a limit of Rs 7,000 per month. This means the maximum amount that any eligible employee can receive under this rule is Rs 6,908.
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The Defence Ministry confirmed that this same amount will go to all eligible JCOs, ORs, and Agniveers in the three services. However, the payment will depend on the funds available in the Defence Services budget for 2025-26.
Who can get the bonus?
The order clearly says that only those who were working as of March 31, 2025, and have completed at least six months of continuous service during 2024-25 will get the bonus. Those who worked for less than a year but more than six months will still receive money on a pro-rata basis, which means they will get the amount according to how many months they worked.
