The Union Cabinet has cleared a 78-day productivity linked bonus for 2025-26 worth Rs 2,009.61 crore for non-gazetted railway staff.

BulletsIn

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on 14 October approved a Productivity Linked Bonus of 78 days for 2025-26 for non-gazetted railway employees.
• The bonus covers 11,40,770 employees and carries a total outlay of Rs 2,009.61 crore.
• The maximum amount payable per eligible employee for 78 days is Rs 17,951.
• Covered categories include track maintainers, loco pilots, train managers, station masters, supervisors, technicians and other Group C staff.
• The 78-day period and the Rs 17,951 ceiling are the same as last year's bonus, which was approved on 24 September 2025.
• Last year's bonus covered 10,91,146 employees at a cost of Rs 1,865.68 crore.
• Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said railway staff keep working around the clock on tracks and in workshops even as the country celebrates its festivals.
• In 2025-26, Indian Railways loaded a record 1,670 million tonnes of freight and carried nearly 7.41 billion passengers.