Govt announces Rs 2,029 cr bonus for railway employees (₹17951 for all non gazetted employees) ahead of festive season inspite of Railway unions begin social media campaign for productivity-linked bonus based on 7th Pay Commission
NEW DELHI. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Thursday the Cabinet has approved a Productivity Linked Bonus of Rs 2,029 crore for Railway employees (₹17951 for all non gazetted employees), benefiting 11,72,240 workers in recognition of their good performance. He also addressed concerns about recruitment, stating that the process for filling 58,642 vacancies is underway, countering opposition claims that present misleadingly small figures regarding employment in the Railways.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “Productivity Linked Bonus for Railway employees of Rs 2,029 cr has been approved by the cabinet for the good performance of railways which will benefit 11,72,240 employees.”
Besides of bonus announcement by the government several railway unions have joined hands to start a social media campaign on Thursday evening to push their demand for productivity-linked bonus on the basis of Seventh Pay Commission.
These unions complained that though the Seventh Pay Commission came into force from January 1, 2016, they have been receiving productivity-linked bonus on the basis of Sixth Pay Commission.
“We receive productivity-linked bonus every year before Dussehra and even after the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission, the bonus is being paid based on the minimum salary of Rs 7,000 per month of the Sixth Pay Commission which is unjust,” Alok Chandra Prakash, General Secretary of Indian Railways S&T Maintainers’ Union (IRSTMU) said.
The AIRTU had written a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw a fortnight ago in support of its demand but the office bearers say that they haven’t heard anything from the government hence to advance their demand, they are starting a social media campaign on X on Thursday evening.
“We have asked all our unions and their members to highlight it to put pressure on the government through social media,” AIRTU said.
Several associated unions said during the countrywide lockdowns forced by the Covid pandemic, everybody was afraid to step out of their houses, but railway employees successfully operated trains and registered a sharp increase in the railways’ earnings as is evident in the quarterly bulletin of the railways.
Besides unions such as Indian Railways S&T Maintainers’ Union (IRSTMU) and All India Railway Track Maintainers Union (AIRTU), several other affiliated unions have supported the move.
They said that according to government norms, railway employees should get a productivity-linked bonus equal to 78 days’ salary.
“But the payment made is Rs 17,951 on a monthly pay scale of Rs 7,000, which is not the monthly salary of any railway employee at present,” Alok Chandra Prakash, general secretary of IRSTMU said.
He added, “After the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission, the minimum monthly basic salary in the railways is Rs 18,000. As per the minimum monthly salary of Rs 18,000, the 78-day bonus becomes Rs 46,159.”
AIRTU, in its letter to the minister, had said, “All India Railway Track Maintainers Union requests you to pay productivity linked bonus to all railway employees as per the pay scales of the Seventh Pay Commission so that railway employees can celebrate the festival with happiness and enthusiasm and continue to make their important contribution to the progress of production, operation and maintenance of railways.”
Satish Yadav, the general secretary of AIRTU pleaded with the Railway Minister and said, ”We do the toughest job in the railway as maintaining track across all rail networks in the country throughout the year is extremely challenging. I request the Railway Ministry to kindly pay heed to our demands which will motivate all its frontline workers.”
