Railway employees may get productivity-linked bonus: How much can they expect this festive season?

The Union Cabinet is expected to consider railway employees’ productivity-linked bonus on 14 October, but no payout has been approved. The Railway Board says a circulating letter claiming approval of a 78-day bonus is forged. 

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is expected to consider a proposal on the productivity-linked bonus (PLB) for railway employees on Wednesday, 14 October, raising hopes of an annual festive-season payout for eligible staff.

The existing bonus for eligible non-gazetted railway employees is ₹17,951, calculated based on a wage ceiling of ₹7,000 and 78 days' wages. The wage ceiling has remained unchanged since 2014-15, even as employee associations have demanded a revision to increase the payout, according to The Economic Times.

However, the Cabinet’s consideration of the proposal does not mean the bonus has been approved. The government has not announced the final payout or the details of its decision.