The railway employees have played an important role in the performance of Passenger and Goods services, which have also acted as economic catalysts, according to a statement issued earlier by the railway ministry.
The Union cabinet has approved the payment of a Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) of 78 days to railway employees for the fiscal year 2021-22. According to Union minister Anurag Thakur, the PLB amount has been paid to approximately 11.27 lakh non-gazetted railway employees.
Railway employees have played an important role in the performance of Passenger and Goods services, which have also acted as economic catalysts. In fact, even during the lockdown, railway employees ensured the uninterrupted movement of essential commodities such as food, fertiliser, coal, and other items. The railways have ensured that such commodities are not in short supply in the area of operations, according to a statement issued earlier by the railway ministry.
The railways stated that over the last three years, it has taken a series of steps to reclaim freight market share and increase passenger fare realisation through appropriate policy initiatives. As a result, railway receipts have regained momentum in the current fiscal year (2022-23), which had previously been disrupted by the pandemic.
The railways achieved the highest incremental freight loading of 184 million tonnes in FY 2021-22. The payment of PLB would act as an incentive, motivating a large number of Railways employees, particularly those involved in railway execution and operations, to improve their productivity and ensure the safety, speed, and service for Railway customers.
The payment of PLB will also boost economic demand during the upcoming festival season.
The financial impact of paying railway employees 78 days’ PLB has been estimated to be Rs. 1,832.09 crore. The wage calculation ceiling for PLB payment is 7,000 per month. The maximum amount payable per eligible railway employee for 78 days is $17,951.
