Cabinet approves PLB for Railway employees

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the payment of Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) for Railway employees, equivalent to 78 days' wages for the financial year 2017-18 for all eligible non-gazetted employees. It excludes Railway Protection Force/Railway Protection Security Force (RPF/RPSF) personnel.

Around 11.91 lakh non-gazetted Railway employees are likely to benefit from the decision. The total estimated cost of the PLB is Rs. 2044.31 crore. The wage calculation ceiling prescribed for payment of PLB to the eligible non-gazetted railway employees is Rs.7000 per month. The maximum amount payable per eligible railway employee is Rs. 17,951 for 78 days.

The Productivity Linked Bonus on Railway covers all non-gazetted railway employees (excluding RPF/RPSF personnel) who are spread over the entire country. Payment of PLB to eligible railway employees is made each year before the Dusshera holidays.

The decision of the Cabinet shall be implemented before the holidays for this year. For the year 2017-18 PLB equivalent to 78 days', wages will be paid which is expected to motivate the employees for working towards improving the performance of the Railways.

The Railways were the first department under the Government of India where the concept of PLB was introduced in the year 1979-80. The main consideration at that time was the important role of the Railways as an infrastructural support in the performance of the economy as a whole.

In the overall context of Railway working, it was considered desirable to introduce the concept of PLB as against the concept of Bonus on the lines of 'The Payment of Bonus Act - 1965'.