New Delhi: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) equivalent to 78 days' wages on Wednesday, which will benefit 11,40,770 railway employees with a bonus payout of Rs 2,009.61 crore.

The maximum amount payable to an eligible employee is Rs 17,951 for the 78-day period.

The annual incentive covers non-gazetted railway employees across several categories and is paid ahead of the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays.

The government said the bonus recognises the performance of railway staff and is intended to encourage them to sustain and improve the efficiency of the national transporter.

Who will receive the railway bonus?

The bonus will cover a wide range of non-gazetted railway personnel, including track maintainers, loco pilots, train managers (guards), station masters, supervisors, technicians, technician helpers, pointsmen, ministerial staff and other Group C employees.

These employees perform crucial roles in keeping railway operations running, from maintaining tracks and managing train movements to supporting station-level operations and administrative work.

The Productivity Linked Bonus is an annual incentive for eligible employees, with the government linking payment to the Railways' operational performance.

Record freight loading, passenger traffic in 2025-26

The Cabinet's decision follows Indian Railways' significant operational achievements during the 2025-26 financial year.

According to the government, the national transporter loaded a record 1,670 million tonnes of freight and carried nearly 7.41 billion passengers during the year.

The government cited these figures while recognizing the contribution of railway employees to the organization's performance.

The bonus is also intended to motivate staff to keep improving efficiency and service delivery.

With the latest approval, more than 11 lakh eligible railway employees will receive the annual productivity-linked payout, with the total expenditure estimated at Rs 2,009.61 crore.