The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days’ wages for eligible railway employees, involving an outlay of ₹2,009.61 crore. The decision will benefit around 11.4 lakh non-gazetted railway employees in recognition of their performance during the year.
The bonus is paid annually ahead of the Durga Puja and Dussehra festivities. The initiative is intended to incentivise railway staff and motivate them to contribute towards improving the performance and efficiency of the national transporter.
The maximum amount payable to an eligible employee will be ₹17,951 for 78 days. The bonus will cover various categories of railway personnel, including track maintainers, loco pilots, train managers, station masters, supervisors, technicians, pointsmen, ministerial staff and other Group C employees.
The approval comes after the Railways recorded strong operational performance during 2025–26. The national transporter handled a record 1,670 million tonnes of freight and carried nearly 7.41 billion passengers during the year.
The government said the annual bonus recognises the contribution of railway employees to the organisation’s performance.
