Madhya Pradesh forest guard gets Rs 640 Diwali bonus, shares how he plans to spend it

A Madhya Pradesh forest guard questioned how his family of five could celebrate Diwali with an unpaid Rs 640 allowance. His video drew attention to festive benefits and holiday duty for front-line government workers.A Madhya Pradesh forest guard spoke about the Diwali bonus he got. (Photos: the_bhupendra_sharma/instagram)New Delhi,Nov 12, 2026 13:07 ISTWhile some employees received cars and flats as Diwali gifts, a forest guard in Madhya Pradesh says his festive allowance of Rs 640 was barely enough to buy sweets for his family. In a video shared online, he questions how a household of five is expected to celebrate the festival with such a small amount, especially when he is required to report for duty on Diwali.Content creator Bhupendra Sharma shared the video that features the forest guard from the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department.Comparing his festive benefits with the gifts being handed out by private companies, the guard says, “Diwali mein kisi ne apne employee ko car gift kar diya toh kisi ne flat gift kar diye. Humare forest guard walon ko pata hai kya mila? Do per cent DA (Dearness Allowance), jo ki hota hai Rs 640 (Some companies gifted cars to their employees this Diwali, while others gave them flats. Do you know what we forest guards got? A 2 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA), which amounts to Rs 640).” He goes on to explain that he bought half a kilo of kaju katli with the money, leaving him with just Rs 40. “Iska kya karu bhai (What am I supposed to do with that?), he asks, adding that even the promised 2 per cent DA increase has not been received.The guard then points to the difficulty of managing festive expenses with such a limited amount. “Kya karenge paanch logon ka parivaar Rs 640 leke? Mithai bhi sahi se le nahi paayenge (What can a family of five do with Rs 640? We cannot even buy enough sweets to celebrate properly),” he says. The financial concerns are compounded by restrictions on taking time off during the festival. The guard says forest personnel have been told not to seek leave around Diwali, as they are expected to remain on duty.“Pata hai chhutti ke liye kya bola gaya hai? Ki chhutti Diwali ke paas nahi honi. Diwali pe toh duty hogi (Do you know what we have been told about leave? We cannot take leave around Diwali. We will have to be on duty on the day of the festival),” he says. Watch the video here:His account has brought attention to the modest festive benefits and work-related demands faced by frontline forest personnel, particularly during a festival when many families look forward to spending time together. The exact details of the DA payment and leave instructions were not independently established in the video.- Ends