Nearly 11 Lakh Railways To Get Productivity-Linked Bonus — Check Details

Nearly 11 lakh railway employees are set to get bonus this festive season. after the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday cleared the proposal.

"In recognition of the excellent performance by the railway staff, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today approved payment of Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) of 78 days for Rs 1,865.68 crore to 10,91,146 railway employees," a government statement said.

The productivity-linked bonus will be given to Group C and Group D level employees and is meant to recognise their contribution to the efficiency and performance of the vast network.

The maximum payable amount of PLB equivalent to 78 days’ wages for each eligible railway employee is Rs 17,951 per person. 

The amount will be paid to various categories, of railway staff like Track maintainers, Loco Pilots, Train Managers (Guard), Station Masters, Supervisors, Technicians, Technician Helpers, Pointsman, Ministerial Staff and other Group C staff.

The Indian Railways employs nearly 11 lakh people across the country to run the world's fourth largest network by size. Productivity-linked bonus is paid as an equivalent to the wages of a defined number of days. Payment of PLB to eligible railway employees is made each year before the Dusshera holidays.

Railways were the first departmental undertaking of the Government of India wherein the concept of PLB was introduced in the year 1979-80, according to the government.

The main consideration at that time was the important role of the Railways as an infrastructural support in the performance of the economy as a whole. In the overall context of railway working, it was considered desirable to introduce the concept of PLB as against the concept of Bonus on the lines of ‘The Payment of Bonus Act - 1965’.

A bonus for lakhs of railway employees will come as an added incentive in the festive season, besides the cut in GST rates. The government has slashed GST on a range of consumer goods from Sept. 23.

Besides, companies and retailers have announced attractive discounts on most consumer goods to tap into festive demand.