The Indian Railways has decided to disburse more than Rs 650 crore as bonus for its employees. Workers will get wages equalling 59 days work in this biggest-ever largesse by the railways so far.
The bonus declaration on September 25 has also meant the railways maintains its stand of hiking bonuses regularly.
We are happy because the amount is more than that given last year, P R Menon, a senior office-bearer of the National Railway Mazdoor Union said.
However, Menon said the money should not be seen as government largesse because in the railways, bonus is calculated as per a fixed formula based on employee productivity.
According to the Bonus Act, bonus is calculated keeping the employees basic wages at Rs 2,500 for 30 days of work. Thus bonus for 59 days would come to Rs 4,849 at the highest level.
People think bonus is calculated on the basis of our salaries, which is not the case, Menon said.
It has been the unions long-standing demand to have bonus declared on the basis of the workers original basic wages, he added.
Meanwhile, Kaushal Kishore, divisional railway manager, Western Railway, said: Workers have been putting in good work and so increase in bonus is justified. But everyone cannot be satisfied. While workers complain of low bonus, officers complain of no bonus.
As per railway rules, only Class III and IV employees, called Group C and Group D in railway lingo, are eligible for bonus. Group A and B employees the officer cadre cannot avail of bonus.
While Group D includes peons and porters, Group C includes medical staff, technicians and station masters.
Bonus onus Western Railway (1998-99) Year Days Maximum amount Workforce Total Expenditure 98-99 51 4192 27,675 Rs 11,60,15,000 99-00 54 4438 28,475 Rs 12,63,70,000 00-01 57 4685 27,070 Rs 12,68,24,000 01-02 59 4849 27,000* Rs 13,57,72,000* Central Railway (2000-2001) Year Days Maximum amount Workforce Total Expenditure 00-01 57 4685 36,840 Rs 16,58,00,000 01-02 59 4849 37,018 Rs 18,32,00,000
* Approximate figure
