About 13 lakh non-gazetted employees of the Railway can look forward to receiving a productivity-linked bonus (PLB) before Diwali. The Union Cabinet has given its approval for 78 days’ bonus to be paid to the non-gazetted employees (Group C and Group D) of the Indian Railways.
The disbursement of this bonus will cost about Rs 1,969 crore.
The yearly productivity-linked bonus is calculated as per the minimum salary paid to the Group D employees, who form the lowest grade of the workforce.
However, the Indian Railway Employees Federation (IREF) is not happy with the PLB, and is seeking a better bonus.
The argument of the Federation is that the PLB has been determined on the basis of the minimum salary of Group D workers under the 6Th Pay Commission. That means, Rs 17,951 is paid to Group C and Group D employees, calculated on the basis of a basic pay of Rs 7,000 per month. Now that the Railways is following the 7th Pay Commission recommendations effective January 2016, IREF is demanding that the PLB be calculated basis the revised minimum pay. That is, the Group C and D workers should be getting Rs 46,159.
The bonus will benefit, train managers (guards), track maintainers, loco pilots, station masters, technicians, supervisors, technician helpers, points men, Ministerial Staff, and other Group ‘C’ staff. However, employees of the Railway Protection Force (RPF)/ Railway Protection Special Force (RPSF) are not included in this PLB.
