Coal India to Pay ₹1.03 Lakh Bonus Ahead of Durga Puja

Coal India Limited (CIL) management and five central trade unions have reached an agreement on a performance-linked reward (PLR) of ₹1.03 lakh per non-executive employee, bringing cheer to over three lakh coal workers just before Durga Puja. The consensus was finalised at 12:40 a.m. in Kolkata after nearly seven hours of negotiations that saw heated discussions and multiple walkouts.

The negotiations were chaired by MCL CMD and standardisation committee chief Uday A. Kawale, and attended by CIL chairman P.M. Prasad. Union representatives initially demanded ₹1.5 lakh, while management offered ₹90,800 citing financial constraints. After several rounds of deliberation, the two sides settled on ₹1.03 lakh — a ₹9,250 increase over last year’s ₹93,750.

Boost to Coalfield Economies

The bonus payout will inject around ₹2,100 crore into coalfield economies across Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal. Jharkhand alone will receive about ₹800 crore, with BCCL employees set to get ₹320 crore and CCL staff ₹310 crore. Union leaders said the agreement will provide relief to workers while energising festive markets in Dhanbad, Ranchi, and other coal towns.

Contract workers are set to receive 8.33% bonus by Diwali, with management committing to direct disbursement if contractors fail to pay. The meeting also reviewed CIL’s 2024-25 financial performance. Demands from CITU, including a proposal to allocate half of the company’s dividend for worker bonuses, were also noted.

Performance-Linked Reward: Recognising Employee Contribution

A PLR is a payment or benefit tied to achieving measurable goals, designed to reward employees for their contribution. This year, around 2.1 lakh non-executive employees across all CIL subsidiaries, along with approximately 38,000 employees of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL), will benefit.

CIL, which produces over 80% of India’s domestic coal, confirmed that the PLR will be credited on a pro-rata basis depending on attendance. The total financial implication is ₹2,153.82 crore for CIL and ₹380 crore for SCCL.

“The incentive recognises the hard work and dedication of non-executive workers, aiming to boost productivity, morale, and job satisfaction,” the Ministry of Coal said. “It also highlights CIL’s commitment to worker welfare and its role in supporting an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”

The announcement comes at a time when coalfield economies rely on festive-season spending, making the bonus a timely support for workers and their families.