The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the payment of a Productivity Linked Bonus of 78 days amounting to Rs. 1,865.68 crore for over 10.91 lakh railway employees.
The Cabinet also approved the doubling of the Bakhtiyarpur–Rajgir–Tilaiya railway line section in Bihar at a total cost of Rs. 2,192 crore, and cleared the construction of the 4-lane Sahebganj–Areraj–Bettiah section of NH-139W in Bihar on Hybrid Annuity Mode with a total project length of 78.942 km, worth Rs. 3,822.31 crore.
Additionally, the Centre approved a Rs. 69,725-crore package to revitalise India’s shipbuilding and maritime sector with a comprehensive four-pillar approach focused on shipbuilding, maritime financing, and boosting domestic capacity.
#WATCH | Union Cabinet approves payment of Productivity Linked Bonus of 78 days for Rs. 1865.68 crores to over 10.91 lakh railway employees.
Approves doubling of the Bakhtiyarpur–Rajgir–Tilaiya railway line section in Bihar at a total cost of Rs. 2,192 crore.
Approves… pic.twitter.com/0Trpog2IrL---Advertisement---— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2025
Doubling of Bakhtiyarpur – Rajgir – Tilaiya single railway line
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the doubling of Bakhtiyarpur – Rajgir – Tilaiya single railway line section (104 km) in Bihar with total cost of Rs. 2,192 crore (approx.).
The project covering four Districts in the state of Bihar will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 104 Kms.
Project section also provides rail connectivity to prominent destinations such as Rajgir (Shanti Stupa), Nalanda, Pawapuri etc. attracting pilgrims and tourists from across the country.
Multi-tracking projects will enhance connectivity to approx. 1,434 villages and about 13.46 lakh population and two Aspirational Districts (Gaya and Nawada). This is an essential route for transportation of commodities such as coal, cement, clinker, fly ash etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 26 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the doubling of Bakhtiyarpur – Rajgir – Tilaiya single railway line section (104 km) in Bihar with total cost of Rs. 2,192 crore (approx.). The project covering four districts in… pic.twitter.com/KLeyiHuRes
— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2025
Construction of 4-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section
The Cabinet also approved the Construction of 4-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W in Bihar on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) with a total project length of 78.942 km and total capital cost of Rs.3,822.31 crore.
The proposed four-lane greenfield project is to improve connectivity between the State Capital Patna with Bettiah connecting the North Bihar Districts of Vaishali, Saran, Siwan, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran and West Champaran up to the areas along the Indo-Nepal border. The project will support the movement of long-distance freight traffic, improve access to key infrastructure and facilitate regional economic development by improving connectivity to agricultural zones, industrial areas, and cross-border trade routes.
The project will connect seven PM Gati Shakti economic Nodes, six Social Nodes, eight Logistic Nodes, nine Major Tourism and Religious Centers by improving access to key heritage and Buddhist tourist sites including the Kesariya Buddha Stupa (Sahebganj), Someshwarnath Mandir (Areraj), Jain Mandir and Vishwa Shanti Stupa (Vaishali), and Mahavir Temple (Patna), thereby strengthening the Buddhist circuit and international tourism potential of Bihar.
Productivity Linked Bonus for 78 days to railway employees
In recognition of the excellent performance by the railway staff, the cabinet approved payment of Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) of 78 days for Rs.1865.68 crore to 10,91,146 railway employees.
Payment of PLB to eligible railway employee is made each year before the Durga Puja / Dussehra holidays. This year also, PLB amount equivalent to 78 days’ wages is being paid to about 10.91 lakh non-gazetted railway employees. The payment of PLB acts as an incentive to motivate the railway employees for working towards improvement in the performance of the Railways.
The maximum payable amount of PLB equivalent to 78 days’ wages for each eligible railway employee is Rs.17,951/-. The above amount will be paid to various categories, of railway staff like Track maintainers, Loco Pilots, Train Managers (Guard), Station Masters, Supervisors, Technicians, Technician Helpers, Pointsman, Ministerial Staff and other Group ‘C’ staff.
