Story perspectives

Union Cabinet Approves 78-Day Wages Bonus for Rail Staff

By Drooid · Oct 14, 2026, 4:50 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The Union Cabinet approved a productivity-linked bonus of 78 days’ wages for 11.4 lakh non-gazetted railway employees.
The payout totals Rs 2,009.61 crore for 1,140,770 eligible staff.
Each eligible employee can receive up to Rs 17,951, representing 78 days’ wages.
The bonus covers track maintainers, loco pilots, station masters, supervisors and technicians.
The government cited the Railways’ 2025-26 record of loading 1,670 million tonnes of freight and carrying 7.41 billion passengers.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, Indian Railways recorded a historic 1,000 million tonnes of freight, prompting the Government of India to launch a performance-linked bonus for non-gazetted staff. The 1995 scheme, announced by Railway Minister Nitish Kumar and Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, allocated Rs 1,000 crore to reward 9 lakh employees with up to 30 days’ wages. Today’s Union Cabinet approval of a Rs 2,009.61 crore, 78-day bonus for 11.4 lakh railway workers mirrors that earlier incentive, expanding coverage and amount. The continuity underscores how performance-pay mechanisms have become entrenched in Indian rail policy, shaping future compensation reforms across the national network.

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Story summary

The Union Cabinet approved a productivity-linked bonus of 78 days’ wages for 11.4 lakh non-gazetted railway employees.
The payout totals Rs 2,009.61 crore for 1,140,770 eligible staff.
Each eligible employee can receive up to Rs 17,951, representing 78 days’ wages.
The bonus covers track maintainers, loco pilots, station masters, supervisors and technicians.
The government cited the Railways’ 2025-26 record of loading 1,670 million tonnes of freight and carrying 7.41 billion passengers.

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