Union Cabinet Approves 78-Day Productivity Bonus for 11.4 Lakh Railway Employees
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days’ wages for 11,40,770 railway employees, involving a total outlay of ₹2,009.61 crore.
The bonus is paid annually to eligible non-gazetted railway employees ahead of the Durga Puja and Dussehra festivities. The government said the payment recognises railway staff’s performance and is intended to motivate employees to improve operational efficiency.
The maximum bonus payable to an eligible employee for 78 days has been fixed at ₹17,951.
Employees across various categories will benefit from the decision, including track maintainers, loco pilots, train managers (guards), station masters, supervisors, technicians, technician helpers, pointsmen, ministerial staff and other Group C employees.
According to the government, Indian Railways performed well during the 2025-26 financial year, loading a record 1,670 million tonnes of freight and carrying nearly 7.41 billion passengers.
The annual bonus is intended to recognise the contribution of railway personnel across these operations and encourage continued improvements in railway performance.
The approval covers approximately 11.4 lakh eligible employees, with the total expenditure estimated at ₹2,009.61 crore.
