Diwali Bonus for Railway Employees: Cabinet Approves Productivity-Linked Bonus

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu) : The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) of ₹1,866 crore for railway employees across the country. More than 10.90 lakh railway employees will benefit from this.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that this bonus, equivalent to 78 days' salary, recognizes the dedicated efforts made by railway employees for smooth operations and improving efficiency. The cabinet note said that the bonus acts as an incentive to motivate railway employees to improve the performance of the railways. According to the note, the maximum amount of PLB payable for each eligible railway employee, equivalent to 78 days' salary, is Rs 17,951. This bonus will be given to various categories of railway employees such as track maintainers, loco pilots, train managers (guards), station masters, supervisors, technicians, technician helpers, pointsmen, ministry employees and other Group 'C' employees.

The Cabinet stated, "The performance of the Railways in the year 2024-25 was excellent. The Railways handled a record 1614.90 million tonnes of cargo and transported approximately 7.3 billion passengers." Last year, the government approved a bonus of ₹2,029 crore, benefiting over 1.17 million employees. Additionally, the Railway Minister stated that the long-awaited Vande Bharat Sleeper trains would be launched soon. Briefing the media on Tuesday, he said that the first train has already passed all the necessary tests and is parked at the Shakur Basti Coach Depot in Delhi, while the second train is expected to be ready by mid-October. "Both trains will be launched simultaneously to ensure continuity of overnight services," Vaishnav said. Manufactured by the state-owned company BEML using Integral Coach Factory technology, the Vande Bharat Sleeper trains will have 16 coaches, divided into AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, and AC 3-Tier.