Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced bonus and ex-gratia payments for workers and employees of cooperative and public sector sugar mills across the state for the financial year 2025-26, ahead of the Deepavali festival, according to an official release reported by PTI.

Source: The Hindu BusinessLine (PTI)

The state has 16 cooperative and two public sector sugar mills. The announcement will benefit approximately 5,190 workers and employees across all 18 mills, and will cost the state government Rs 351.40 lakh (yaani about Rs 3.51 crore).

Workers at the Subramaniya Siva and Kallakurichi-II cooperative sugar mills, both of which have a registered allocable surplus, will receive a maximum bonus of 20 per cent. For the remaining 14 cooperative and two public sector sugar mills, the government has sanctioned a total of 10 per cent, comprising an 8.33 per cent statutory bonus and a 1.67 per cent ex-gratia component.

According to the official release, the initiative was ordered by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay so that workers can celebrate the upcoming festival with joy. The sugar mill order follows the government's wider Deepavali bonus announcements for public sector staff, with cooperative institutions covered through separate orders.