NEW DELHI | NATIONAL POLICY | 14 OCTOBER 2026
The Union Cabinet approved a productivity-linked bonus equivalent to 78 days’ wages for eligible non-gazetted railway employees. The 14 October decision covers approximately 11.40 lakh staff and has an estimated cost of ₹2,009.61 crore, according to the government’s release.
Who is covered
The Cabinet listed track maintainers, loco pilots, train managers, station masters, supervisors, technicians, helpers, pointsmen and ministerial and other Group C staff among the eligible categories. The maximum payment for an eligible employee is ₹17,951 for the 78-day calculation. That is a ceiling, not a statement that every worker receives the same amount.
The government said the bonus is customarily paid before the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays and is intended to recognise railway staff performance. It cited 2025–26 operations, including record cargo loading of 1,670 million tonnes and nearly 7.41 billion passenger journeys, as context for the decision.
Approval and payment
The Cabinet announcement authorises the payment, but individual amounts depend on the applicable eligibility and wage rules. Employees should rely on railway payroll instructions for their personal calculation and disbursement date. The public total is an estimated aggregate cost across the covered workforce.
This article reflects the approval announced on 14 October 2026. It does not imply that every payment was in a worker’s account that day.
Source and image
Source: Press Information Bureau, Cabinet release, 14 October 2026.
Image source
An Indian railway station. Archive photograph; not the bonus announcement. Photo: Fotokannan / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0. Display crops may be applied.
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