Railway Employees to Get ₹17,951 Bonus
The Cabinet approves a 78-day productivity-linked bonus for 11.4 lakh eligible non-gazetted railway employees at a total cost of ₹2,009.61 crore.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days' wages for 11,40,770 eligible non-gazetted railway employees. The maximum amount payable to each eligible employee is ₹17,951, with the total payout estimated at ₹2,009.61 crore.
The annual bonus will cover several categories of railway staff, including track maintainers, loco pilots, train managers, station masters, supervisors, technicians, technician helpers, pointsmen, ministerial staff and other Group C employees.
The government said the payment recognises railway employees' contribution to operations and is intended to encourage productivity. The bonus is typically announced before the Durga Puja and Dussehra festive period.
The approval follows Indian Railways' reported performance during the 2025–26 financial year. The national transporter handled a record 1,670 million tonnes of freight and carried nearly 7.41 billion passengers, according to the government.
The bonus is calculated under the prescribed Productivity Linked Bonus framework, subject to applicable eligibility criteria and a wage ceiling. Although the payment is equivalent to 78 days' wages, the maximum announced amount remains ₹17,951 per eligible employee.
The latest approval continues the government's annual practice of providing a productivity-linked payment to eligible non-gazetted railway staff before the festive season. The bonus is separate from other ad-hoc bonus arrangements that may apply to eligible central government employees in different departments.