Gandhinagar, June 18 (IANS) Gujarat Cooperation Minister Jitu Vaghani has said that more than 3,000 employees working in Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) across Gujarat will become eligible for bonus and ex-gratia payments after the state government approved a relaxation in existing norms.

The decision, taken under the supervision of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, on Wednesday applies to all APMCs whose establishment expenditure remains within the 40 per cent ceiling prescribed under market regulations.

According to the state government, around 224 APMCs and more than 3,000 employees across the state are expected to benefit.

“APMC employees would now be officially eligible to receive bonus and ex-gratia allowances subject to prescribed conditions,” Minister Vaghani said.

Providing details of the approval, the Minister said: “APMCs that maintain their total establishment expenditure within the 40 per cent limit under the Market Rules would be permitted to pay employees a bonus or ex-gratia allowance of up to two months’ salary while adhering to financial discipline.”

Vaghani said the state government had sought to balance the financial and administrative interests of APMCs with the welfare of their employees.

He noted that the decision was taken following high-level discussions with the Chief Minister on representations submitted by the Gujarat State Market Committee Employees’ Union at Gandhinagar.

The state government had previously imposed restrictions on the utilisation of market funds and the payment of allowances.

However, according to the Minister, a legal relaxation has now been granted to allow bonus payments through what he described as a positive interim approach that takes employee welfare into account.

Other administrative conditions governing APMCs will remain unchanged.

Following the announcement, office-bearers of the Gujarat State Market Committee Employees’ Union welcomed the decision and expressed gratitude to the state government for approving the measure.

–IANS

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