The NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a significant festive bonus for Indian Railways employees. During a cabinet meeting on Thursday, October 3, 2024, the cabinet approved the bonus for railway personnel, as announced by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav during the briefing later in the evening.
It was confirmed that a total bonus of Rs 2,029 crore will be distributed, equating to 78 days of salary for the employees. This decision will benefit a total of 1,172,240 railway employees, while the recruitment process for 58,642 posts in the Railways is currently underway.
Key points regarding the bonus include:
- The bonus is being provided for good performance.
- The total amount of the bonus is Rs 2,029 crore.
- A bonus equivalent to 78 days of salary will be awarded to railway employees.
- Approximately 1,172,240 employees will receive the benefit
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The bonus being granted is known as the Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB), which is paid to various categories of railway employees, including Track Maintainers, Loco Pilots, Train Managers (Guards), Station Masters, Supervisors, Technicians, Technician Helpers, Points men, Ministerial Employees, and other Group C and D employees. PLB is typically disbursed annually before the Durga Puja and Dussehra festivals. This year, around 1.17 lakh non-gazetted railway employees will receive a PLB amount equivalent to 78 days' salary, with a maximum payout of Rs 17,951 per employee.
The performance of the railways has been outstanding in the financial year 2023-24. During this period, Indian Railways recorded the transportation of 1,588 million tonnes of freight and accommodated approximately 6.7 billion passengers. This remarkable achievement can be attributed to factors such as record capital investment (Capex) by the government, increased operational efficiency, and technological improvements.