The Union Cabinet has approved a productivity-linked bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days’ wages for around 11.4 lakh railway employees for 2025-26. The total payout will amount to Rs 2,009.61 crore.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, October 14, in recognition of the performance of railway staff.
Eligible non-gazetted railway employees will receive a bonus equivalent to 78 days’ wages, with the maximum payment capped at Rs 17,951 per employee.
The bonus will cover various categories of railway staff, including track maintainers, loco pilots, train managers (guards), station masters, supervisors, technicians, technician helpers, pointsmen, ministerial staff and other Group C employees.
The payment is made every year ahead of the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays. The government said the bonus is intended to motivate railway employees and encourage them to improve the performance of the Railways.
The government said the Railways performed well during 2025-26, recording cargo loading of 1,670 million tonnes and carrying nearly 7.41 billion passengers.
The annual productivity-linked bonus recognises the contribution of railway employees to the organisation’s performance.