Railway employees PLB 2026 has been approved for 78 days by the Union Cabinet, with a total outlay of ₹2,009.61 crore covering 11,40,770 railway employees.
The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) on Wednesday in recognition of railway staff performance during the year.
The annual payment is made to eligible non-gazetted railway employees ahead of the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays. The government said the bonus also serves as an incentive to improve railway operations and employee performance.
Railway employees to receive up to ₹17,951
Eligible railway employees will receive a bonus equivalent to 78 days of wages, with the maximum payment capped at ₹17,951 per employee.
The bonus will cover several categories of non-gazetted railway staff, including:
- Track maintainers
- Loco pilots
- Train managers (guards)
- Station masters
- Supervisors and technicians
- Technician helpers and pointsmen
- Ministerial staff and other Group C employees
The total approved outlay of ₹2,009.61 crore will cover payments to approximately 11.4 lakh employees.
The government said the annual PLB recognises railway employees’ contribution to operational performance and aims to encourage continued improvements in the national transporter’s functioning.
Indian Railways records 1,670 million tonnes of freight
The Cabinet approval follows strong operational performance by Indian Railways during the financial year 2025-26.
According to the government, the national transporter loaded a record 1,670 million tonnes of cargo during the year. It also carried nearly 7.41 billion passengers.
The performance figures highlight the scale of freight and passenger operations handled by Indian Railways.
The government said the productivity-linked payment recognises the contribution of railway staff to these results. The bonus is part of the annual incentive mechanism for eligible non-gazetted employees.
The 78-day payment will be made ahead of the festive season, continuing the government’s practice of releasing the annual railway employee bonus before Durga Puja and Dussehra.
