{
  "id": 14431033,
  "title": "Cabinet approves 78-day bonus worth Rs 2,009 crore for 11.4 lakh railway employees ahead of Diwali",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/cabinet-approves-78-day-bonus-worth-rs-2-009-crore-for-11-4-lakh",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-14T10:38:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times - Economy",
    "slug": "the-economic-times-economy",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/cabinet-approves-78-day-bonus-worth-rs-2009-crore-for-11-4-lakh-railway-employees-ahead-of-diwali/articleshow/134939562.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a 78-day bonus totaling Rs 2,009 crore for around 11.4 lakh Indian Railways employees. Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the decision, calling it a Diwali gift for the recipients. The bonus, paid to eligible non-gazetted railway workers, is calculated based on a wage ceiling of Rs 7,000 and 78 days of wages, resulting in a Rs 17,951 annual bonus. However, railway employees could see an increase in their bonus if the Union Cabinet approves a proposal for a productivity-linked bonus (PLB). The Indian Railways Technical Supervisors Association (IRTSA) has suggested raising the wage ceiling to Rs 18,000 plus dearness allowance for Level-2 employees and above, which would warrant an annual bonus of at least Rs 46,184. The Railway Board had previously warned about a fake letter circulated on social media announcing the sanction of a 78-day PLB for the 2025-26 financial year, urging railway offices to verify bonus-related communications through official channels.",
  "summary": "The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a 78-day bonus worth Rs 2,009 crore for at least 11.4 lakh employees, with Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw describing the payout as a Diwali gift for them.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Live Mint",
        "title": "Diwali bonus: Good news for railway employees! 78-day bonus worth ₹2,009 crore approved",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/diwali-bonus-good-news-for-railway-employees-78-day-bonus-worth-2-009",
        "published": "2026-10-14T11:20:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}