The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the payment of a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days’ wages for 10,91,146 non-gazetted railway employees. The total financial outlay for this move is Rs 1,865.68 crore, aimed at rewarding staff for a year of exceptional operational performance.
The bonus is traditionally disbursed ahead of Durga Puja and Dussehra, providing employees with a festive-season financial boost.
The PLB is a performance-based annual bonus tied directly to measurable achievements such as freight loading, passenger movement, punctuality, and operational efficiency. Unlike ad hoc payments, the PLB reflects the Indian Railways’ overall productivity and contribution to institutional performance.
For the 2024–25 financial year, Indian Railways recorded 1,614.90 million tonnes of freight—an all-time high—and transported around 7.3 billion passengers. Operational efficiency improved with better punctuality and reduced delays, while revenue from freight and passenger services surged. These accomplishments underpin the full 78-day bonus payout for eligible employees.
The PLB covers a wide range of staff, including loco pilots, train managers, station masters, track maintainers, technicians, supervisors, pointsmen, and ministerial staff. The maximum bonus for an individual employee is Rs 17,951, calculated based on average wages and days worked.
The bonus, it is hope, will not only boost employee morale and household spending but also reinforce a culture of accountability within Indian Railways. By linking rewards to performance, the initiative encourages continuous improvement in service delivery, infrastructure utilisation and customer satisfaction.
