Festivals play an important role in our cultural and social life to enjoy special moments and emotions in our lives with loved ones. However, financial constraints can sometimes prevent people from celebrating festivals to the fullest.
To reduce such financial stress, the Karnataka government has introduced the festival advance facility for its employees.
This facility provides financial assistance to eligible government employees so that they can manage festival-related expenses easily.
In this article, let us know about the eligibility criteria, conditions and benefits available to employees for the festival advance facility as described in Section 238(1) of the Karnataka Financial Code, 1958.
Table of Contents
Who can avail this facility?
- Government employees,
- All India Service officers posted in the Karnataka IAS/IPS/IFS ranks.
- Local candidates, but they have to provide a surety of a permanent government servant.
Amount of advance:
75% of the employee’s basic pay or Rs.25,000/-, whichever is less.
If it is calculated as 75% of the basic pay, it should be rounded to the nearest multiple of Rs.10.
Click on the download to get a copy of the relevant government order.
Example 1: If the employee’s basic pay is Rs.27,000/-, he will get only 75% of the basic pay. i.e., Rs.20,250/- as festival advance. He will not get Rs.25,000/-.
Example 2: If the employee’s basic pay is Rs.37,500/-, he will not get 75% of the basic pay. i.e., Rs.28,125/-. He will get a maximum of Rs.25,000/- only.
No interest will be charged on the money received as festival advance. Only the principal amount has to be repaid.
Eligible festivals to get this advance?
Festival advance money will be sanctioned for the festivals mentioned below.
Important festivals like Ugadi, Makar Sankranti, Dussehra, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Ramzan, Bakrid, Eid-e-Milad, Christmas, Easter, Independence Day, etc.
- The head of the department will be competent to fix the festivals for this purpose, after taking into consideration the importance attached locally to the festivals and the representations of the recognized service associations, if any.
Conditions:
- This facility is available only to employees who are on duty or on leave on average/full pay or on maternity leave at the time of drawl of the advance money.
- This festival advance facility will be sanctioned only once in any calendar year.
- Employees cannot get a new festival advance until they have fully paid back the previous one.
- The advance should be approved in advance and given out no earlier than two weeks before the festival and no later than the first day of the festival.
How to apply?
The application should be filled in the prescribed form and submitted to the administrative section.
Click on the download to get the application form to receive the festival advance.
Authority to sanction the festival advance:
The head of the office has the authority to sanction these festival advances.
If the head of office is a non-Gazetted Government servant, he can sanction such an advance for himself also.
Method of repayment:
- The advance will be recovered in 10 equal monthly installments.
- The deduction will begin in the month following the month in which the advance is received.
For example: If the employee receives the festival advance on September 20, the first installment will not be deducted from the September salary but will be deducted from the October salary.
Method of preparing K2 bill to receive festival advance:
Generate the festival advance on the HRMS website and send it to the Kajane2 (K2) website. Then, prepare the bill in K2 and submit it to the concerned treasury office.
The festival advance facility allows the employees of the Karnataka government to celebrate festivals happily.
For more information, visit the official website of finance department, Government of Karnataka.
FAQ (frequently asked questions):
1) Can private employees avail this facility?
This facility is not available to private employees. This facility is available only to government employees.
2) What is the maximum amount that can be received as festival advance?
A maximum of Rs. 25,000/- can be received as festival advance.
3) Is interest charged on the money received as festival advance?
No interest is charged.
4) Can government employees who are in probationary period avail this facility?
Yes, they can.
5) In how many installments will the advance be recovered?
It will be recovered in 10 equal monthly installments.
To download the Karnataka Govt 7th Pay Committee Related Orders click the link below.
To download the DA (Dearness Allowance) Orders of Karnataka Govt click the link below.