The Union Cabinet has approved a 78-day Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) for 1,140,770 non-gazetted railway employees for the 2025-26 financial year, with the government allocating Rs 2,009.61 crore for the payout ahead of the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays.
The decision was approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to information provided by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The payment will cover eligible railway employees across several operational and administrative categories.
Vaishnaw said the Cabinet had approved the payment of 78 days’ PLB amounting to Rs 2,009.61 crore in recognition of the performance of railway staff. The government said the payment would benefit approximately 11.40 lakh employees.
The bonus is calculated at Rs 17,951 for each eligible railway employee for 78 days. The categories listed for the payment include track maintainers, locomotive pilots, train managers or guards, station masters, supervisors, technicians, technician helpers, pointsmen, ministerial staff and other Group C employees.
The Productivity Linked Bonus is paid annually to eligible railway employees before the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays. The payment is intended to serve as an incentive for employees working towards improvements in railway performance, according to the Cabinet’s statement.
The decision places the bonus within the wider operational framework of the Indian Railways, where employees across track maintenance, train operations, station management and technical services are responsible for keeping passenger and freight services running. The approved amount is linked to the 2025-26 performance period, although the supplied announcement does not provide separate performance figures or operational targets.
The payout also distinguishes the PLB from a general salary revision. The approved amount is tied to the 78-day formula and applies to eligible non-gazetted railway employees. The announcement does not state that the payment covers all railway staff or gazetted employees.
The government has not provided, in the supplied announcement, a separate payment schedule for each employee category. It has stated that the bonus will be paid before the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays, continuing the annual practice for eligible railway workers.
The Cabinet approval comes as railway employees remain central to the operation of India’s rail network, including track upkeep, train running, station services, signalling-related technical work and other supporting functions. The next formal step is the disbursement of the approved PLB to eligible employees before the festival holidays.
