India, Oct. 17 -- With local body elections looming across Maharashtra, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the urban development department, has announced Diwali bonuses for municipal employees in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai. Although these ex gratia payments are a routine annual affair, this year Shinde has taken direct ownership of the announcement, a move that's being seen as an attempt to score political points ahead of the polls.

The bonus amount will be up to Rs.31,000 for employees of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Rs.24,500 for the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and up to Rs.34,500 for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), according to a press note from Shinde's office on Thursday.

To be ...