• Modi Government has decided to gift Holi bonus worth Rs. 10,000 to all the central government employees in advance under Special Festival Advance Scheme as per the 7^th Pay Commission of India.
• Holi festival is just a few days away falling on the last week of March 2021. This is indeed a good news for all the employees working under the Central Government and shall be granted without any interest.
• The genuine motive behind this advance is to make sure the employees are handy with good sum to celebrate this major festival during the ending week of the month.

• Not only this, during the Coronavirus pandemic period, the central government had to freeze the DA (Dearness Allowance) of every central government employee so as to accumulate enough funding to stable the falling economy.
• This was however a major blow to all the employees. Thus, the government decided to provide a relief during the cheerful events to make them spend their money freely during Holi. Later, employees can pay it back in 10 installments i.e., Rs. 1000 per month.
• The last date to avail the cash under Special Festival Advance Scheme is March 31, 2021. 
• The bonus will be paid to each of the employees in the form of a RuPay Card.
• Announcement for the grant of this bonus was already made by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the 2021 Union Budget. He also added that the bonus will be a form of advance payment that will be preloaded in the RuPay card before the distribution. This money will already be there in the ATM of central government employees and they just need to spend. 
• The Department of Expenditure of the Ministry of Finance has already issued the Office Memorandum therefore which the Order shall be effective till 31^st of March, 2021.

• Previously, as per the 6th Pay Commission, employees used to get a festive advance of Rs 4,500. But now the government is giving an advance of Rs 10,000. This decision is included in the Seventh Pay Commission.
• Last year in the month of October, the central employees were granted same bonus amount also worth Rs. 10000 in the form of UTSAV RuPay Card. The cards were primarily distributed by the State Bank of India (SBI). The validity for this card is substantially put to form on October 12, 2020, still continuing to end on 31^st of March, 2021.
• Below there is a list of details regarding this Advance Festive Scheme. This explains briefly about how should the card be utilized, and other factors.

Check out the details of the scheme below:

1. The bonus shall be worth of 10,000 Indian Rupees.
2. The cash is an interest free advance and can be returned in 10 easy installments.
3. The installments must be carried out with a sum of Rs. 1000 continuously for 10 consecutive months.
4. Employees will be given this loan in the form of a prepaid RuPay card.
5. State governments also have the option of offering festive advances on the lines of festive advances provided by the union government.