The financial implication of payment of 78 days’ PLB to railway employees has been estimated to be Rs. 1063.38 crores. The wage calculation ceiling prescribed for payment of PLB to eligible non-gazetted Railway employees is Rs. 3500/- p.m. About 12.60 lakh non-gazetted Railway employees are likely to benefit from the decision. The PLB on Railway covers all non-gazetted Railway employees (excluding RPF/RPSF personnel) throughout the country. This year also, PLB equivalent to 78 days’ wages has been paid as a special case to motivate employees.
Background
The Railways were the first departmental undertaking of the Government of India where the concept of PLB was introduced. 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. Even though the Payment of Bonus Act does not apply to the Railways, yet the broad principles contained in that Act were kept in view for the purpose of determining the “Wage/Pay Ceiling”, definition of ‘Salary’/’Wage’, etc. The PLB Scheme for the Railways came into force from the year 1979-80 onwards and was evolved in consultation with the two recognised federations, the All India Railwaymen’s Federation and National Federation of Indian Railwaymen and with the approval of the Cabinet. The scheme envisages a review every three years.