The 1.5 million civil servants in the country will receive a half-month salary or a minimum of RM500 as bonus which will be paid in January next year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced when tabling Budget 2015 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, also announced that Government pensioners will receive special financial assistance of RM250.

The Prime Minister said he hoped the financial assistance will ease the burden of civil servants and pensioners.

In July, the Government had given Special Financial Assistance of RM500 and RM250 to civil servants and government pensioners respectively for the Aidilfitri celebration.

The special financial assistance then was for civil servants from Grade 1 till Grade 54.

When tabling Budget 2014 last year, Najib had announced improvement in 81 schemes of service.

In this Budget, he said the government will continue to improve another 252 schemes of service to increase the effectiveness of public service delivery.

The Prime Minister added that the Government had also agreed to provide monthly aid of RM300 per person in appreciation of the services of contract officers and staff of KEMAS, JASA, JPNIN, JAKIM and Seranta Felda who have served more than 15 years and have retired.

"This initiative will benefit 1,655 individuals," he said.