Cabinet okays productivity-linked bonus for railway employees

The decision will cost the transporter around Rs 2,044.31 crore. (File)

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved productivity-linked bonus (PLB), which is equivalent of 78 days’ wages, for 11.91 lakh eligible non-gazetted railway employees for 2018-19. The decision will cost the transporter around Rs 2,044.31 crore.

The transporter has been paying PLB equivalent of 78 days’ wages to these employees — which do not include Railway Protection Force and Railway Protection Special Force —for the past seven years, before the festival of Dussehra, to increase the productivity of employees. The maximum amount payable per eligible railway employee will be Rs 17,951 for the current year.

Last year, about 12.30 lakh non-gazetted railway employees were paid PLB having a financial implication of around Rs 2,245.45 crore on the railways.

“Payment of PLB to eligible railway employees is made each year before the Dusshera/Puja holidays. The decision of the Cabinet shall be implemented before the holidays for this year as well,” said a government release. The railways were the first departmental undertaking of the government wherein the concept of PLB was introduced in 1979-80. Earlier, the bonus was paid equivalent to 72 days’ of wages. FE