Key Highlights
- Coal India’s annual Performance Linked Reward (PLR) for non executive employees rose from Rs. 54,000 in 2015-16 to Rs. 1.03 lakh in 2025-26.
- A bonus meeting is expected in the first week of October, according to trade union sources, though Coal India has not yet issued an official notice.
- Workers and unions are expecting this year’s bonus to reach around ₹1.10 lakh, but the amount has not been decided.
- Coal India and its subsidiaries currently have 2,08,616 employees, including 1,93,484 non executive employees eligible for the bonus.
- Jharkhand has around 75,000 coal workers, the highest among states, making it likely to receive the largest share of the bonus payout.
- The annual coal sector bonus pool is estimated by industry sources at around Rs. 1,500 crore, giving the festive market a big seasonal boost.
Also Read: Today’s Headlines – Business Jharkhand
Ranchi: Coal workers and traders are waiting for Coal India’s annual Performance Linked Reward (PLR), which has nearly doubled over the past decade. The bonus rose from Rs. 54,000 in 2015-16 to Rs. 1.03 lakh in 2025-26, making the festive payout an important source of additional spending in coal-producing districts. While Coal India is yet to issue an official notice for this year’s bonus meeting, trade union sources expect discussions to take place in the first week of October.
Bonus Has Become Part of the Puja Economy
The annual coal bonus is important, not only for employees but also for markets in coal producing areas. The sector’s bonus payout is estimated at around Rs. 1,500 crore on average, much of which enters local markets during the festive season. Workers and trade union representatives are expecting this year’s amount to rise to around Rs. 1.10 lakh, though the final figure will depend on the bonus meeting and has not yet been decided. The steady rise in PLR over the years has made the payment an important part of household spending around Durga Puja.
Also Read: SAIL Gua Management Accepted 15 Demands, Agreed to Improve Hospital and Housing Facilities
The increase in the bonus becomes clearer when viewed over a longer period. In 2015-16, coal workers received Rs. 54,000, while the payout increased to Rs. 1,03,000 in 2025-26 is an increase of about 91% in ten years. Coal India and its subsidiary companies currently have 2,08,616 employees, of whom 1,93,484 are non executives. The PLR is paid to non-executive employees, making the size of the workforce an important factor in the overall payout.
Coal India Bonus Amount of Last Ten Years
| Financial Year | Bonus Amount |
| 2015-16 | 54,000 |
| 2016-17 | 57,000 |
| 2017-18 | 60,500 |
| 2018-19 | 64,700 |
| 2019-20 | 68,500 |
| 2020-21 | 72,500 |
| 2021-22 | 76,500 |
| 2022-23 | 76,500 |
| 2023-24 | 85,000 |
| 2024-25 | 93,750 |
| 2025-26 | 1,03,000 |
Jharkhand Likely to Receive the Largest Share
Jharkhand stands out in the distribution of the coal workforce, with around 75,000 employees, the highest among the states where Coal India operates. BCCL, CCL and CMPDI, along with ECL’s Rajmahal, Mugma and Chitra coal areas, have a significant presence in the state. As a result, a large portion of the annual bonus payout is expected to reach Jharkhand. For Dhanbad and other coal belt markets, the bonus has therefore become closely linked with the festive economy, particularly during the weeks around Durga Puja.
Also Read: Adani Group Announced One Lakh Crore Investment in Bengal by 2035
