Dopt issued on 23.9.2015 - Clarification for booking of air-tickets on LTC

Clarification for booking of air-tickets on LTC – Dopt issued on 23.9.2015

G.I., Dept. of Per. & Trg., O.M.No.31011/5/2014-Estt (A.IV), dated 23.9.2015

Subject:- Procedure for booking of air-tickets on LTC- Clarification reg.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s O.M. No.31011/4/2014-Estt.(A-IV) dated 19th June, 2014 which lays down that the Government employees are required to book the air tickets directly from the airlines (Booking counters, website of airlines) or by utilizing the service of Authorized Travel Agents viz. ‘M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company’, ‘M/s Ashok Travels & Tours’ and ‘IRCTC’ (to the extent IRCTC is authorized as per DoPT O.M. No. 31011/6/2002-Est(A) dated 02.12.2009) while undertaking LTC journey(s). Vide DoPT’s O.M. 31011/5/2014-Estt.(AIV) dated 24.09.2014, the web-portal of these authorized travel agents will also be treated as an acceptable mode for purchase of air tickets on LTC subject to the conditions stated vide Department of Expenditure’s O.M. No. 19024/1/2012-E-IV dated 5thSeptember, 2014.

2. It has been observed that various Ministries/Departments continue to send references to DoPT seeking relaxation regarding the booking of air tickets for the purpose of LTC from the travel agents not authorised by the aforesaid O.M.. In most of the cases, the common reason stated by the LTC beneficiaries is that they were not aware of the guidelines and inadvertently booked the tickets from other travel agents.

3. All the Ministries/ Departments are advised to ensure a wide circulation of the guidelines as stated in para 1 of this O.M.. This point may also be

emphasized by the Administration whenever any advance is sought or intention to avail LTC is conveyed by the Government servant.

Authority: www.persmin.gov.in

Click to view the order

BHARATIYA PRATIRAKSHA MAZDOOR SANGH (BPMS) - MOD invites LTC Claim Details for one time relaxation

MOD invites LTC Claim Details for one time relaxation – BPMS

One Time Relaxation for LTC claim

(AN ALL INDIA FEDERATION OF DEFENCE WORKERS)

(AN INDUSTRIAL UNIT OF B.M.S.)

(RECOGNISED BY MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, GOVT. OF INDIA)

CENTRAL OFFICE: 2-A, NAVEEN MARKET, KANPUR – 208001, PH & FAX : (0512) 2332222

MOBILE: 09415733686, 09235729390, 09335621629, WEB : www.bpms.org.in

REF: BPMS / CIR / LTC / 01

Dated: 27.07.2015

To,

The Office Bearers / CEC Members,

President / Secretary of the Unions

Affiliated to BPMS

Subject: One Time Relaxation for LTC claim

Dear brothers & sisters,

Namaskar

You may be aware of that Shri S N Batwe, Patron/BPMS highlighted some of the following issues related to LTC, thereupon vide letter No. BPMS / DoP&T/ LTC / 50 (7/2/R), Dated 10.11.2014 this federation requested the DoP&T as well as MOD to consider the issues sympathetically :-

(i) Earlier { DoP&T F.No. 31011/412007-Estt.(A), dated 02.05.2008} the Group ‘B’ Central Government employees were entitled to travel by Air from their place of posting or nearest airport but now {vide DoP&T O.M. No. 31011/ 3/ 2014-Estt.(A-IV), dated 26.09.2014} only eligible Government servants may travel from their place of posting or nearest airport, hence necessary clarification was required so that the Group ‘B’ employees may be entitled to travel by Air from their place of posting or nearest airport;

(ii) Vide DoP&T F.No. 31011/4/2007-Estt (A), Dated 30.04.2012 the Air travel relaxation under LTC for NER was extended for 02 yrs from 01.05.2012, i.e., applicable upto 01.05.2014 and vide DoP&T F. No. 31011/2/2003-Estt.A-IV, dated 15.06.2012 the Air travel relaxation under LTC for J&K was extended for 02 yrs from 18.06.2012, i.e., applicable upto 18.06.2014 whereas this order grants the relaxation for air travel w.e.f. 26.09.2014. There were some of the employees who have travelled by Air under LTC in the intervening period, i.e., 01.05.2014 / 18.06.2014 and 26.09.2014 in anticipation of extension of such relaxation as per prevailing practice. To mitigate the financial hardships of such employees, the DoP&T O.M. No. 31011/ 3/ 2014-Estt.(A-IV), dated 26.09.2014 should have retrospective effect, i.e., 01.05.2014.

(iii) Some of the defence civilian employees while availing LTC by Air to destinations like A&N Islands, J&K and NER, did not follow the instructions regarding purchase of their air tickets only from the booking counters/websites of Air India or from the Authorized Travel Agents [M/s Balmer Lawrie & Co, M/s Ashok Travels & Tours and IRCTC] and their LTC claims are not being allowed. Hence, one time relaxation is required to settle these cases.

Now, Min of Defence is considering the case (iii) and invited the details from concerned authorities. Hence, all are requested to forward their details through proper channel in given format only.

Thanking you.

Sincerely yours

sd/-

(MUKESH SINGH)

Secretary/BPMS & Member, JCM-II Level Council (MOD)

Government of India

Ministry of Defence

D(Civ-I)

Subject : Proposal for seeking one time relaxation in respect of LTC 80 claims of Defence Civilian Employees

Defence Civilian Employees’ Federations are pursuing the above issue in the meetings of the JCM Departmental Council wherein they have informed that many Defence civilian employees while availing LTC by Air to destinations like A&N Islands, J&K and NER, did not follow the instructions regarding purchase of these air tickets only from the booking counters/websites of Air India or from the Authorized Travel Agents [M/s Balmer Lawrie & Co, M/s Ashok Travels & Tours and IRCTC]. A number of employees being first time travellers by air, did not observe these instructions due to ignorance. As a result, there administrative authorities have rejected their claims under LTC 80 submitted by them after performing the journey. To resolve this issue, the employees Federations have approached this Ministry and have requested to take up the matter to DoP&T with recommendation that:

a) Claims of Group C and B employees who are otherwise not entitled for Air Travel, in case they have availed LTC 80 by purchasing Air tickets from other than the authorized agents may be considered as a one time measure and a relaxation may be granted to pass their LTC claims as a special case;

b) For such employees who have purchased Air Tickets prior to 26 Sep 2014 from other than authorized agents to travel to A&N Islands, in their case, the LTC claim may be restricted to their entitled class in Steamer/Ship

2. The DoP&T have communicated vide their letter No.31011/6/2015-Estt.A IV dated 1st July addressed to JCM, National Council, that it would not be feasible to relax the LTC rules as a one-time measure. However, cases of individual hardship as recommended by Ministries/ Departments would be considered on a case to case basis.

3. Accordingly, it is proposed to take up the matter with the DoP&T for a decision on the LTC claims submitted by the defence civilian employees where the air tickets have not been purchased by these employees in accordance with the Government instructions. It is requested that the details of such cases may please be furnished in the enclosed proforma latest by 17 Aug 2015, along with views/comments, so that a consolidated proposal could be sent to the DoP&T for consideration of one time relaxation.

Encl : Proforma

Sd/-

Gurdeep Singh)

Under Secretary (Civ)

Click to view the proforma

Source : BPMS

Government officials may get to claim LTC for domestic helicopter flights: Economic Times Report

Government officials may get to claim LTC for domestic helicopter flights: Economic Times Report

NEW DELHI: The government is discussing a proposal to allow its employees to claim leave travel concession for domestic helicopter flights, a move seen boosting the helicopter-ferrying business.

At present, central government employees can claim leave travel concession (LTC) only for using scheduled commercial airline flights, preferably Air India. According to a civil aviation ministry official, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had sought a cost analysis of helicopter rides in the country.

“We have sent our analysis to the DoPT on the cost of flying in a helicopter. They had asked for it since they plan to bring helicopter rides under the LTC scheme,” the official, who did not wish to be named, told ET. The helicopter industry has welcomed the proposal, which aims to extend the travel concession to some 3 million central government workers.

“It creates business for helicopter operators in the country. Currently, helicopter operations are available in areas that have difficult terrain and no other means of connectivity, as helicopter rides are expensive,” said Harsh Vardhan Sharma, treasurer at Business Aircraft Operators’ Association and owner of Himalayan Heli Services Ltd, a helicopter operator.

Read more at : Economic Times

No proposal under consideration for including more places under the conversion of Home Town LTC to All India LTC

No proposal under consideration for including more places under the conversion of Home Town LTC to All India LTC

LTC to Some Countries

A proposal to provide Leave Travel Concession (LTC) to Government employees to visit some SAARC countries is in its initial stage of consideration. The details are yet to be finalized.

The purpose behind the proposal is to enhance people-to-people contact and bilateral ties in the SAARC region through increase in tourism in the region.

As per the Government’s order dated 26.09.2014, the Government has extended the facility of conversion of home town LTC to visit the states in the North East Region, Jammu & Kashmir and the UT of Andaman & Nicobar Islands for a period of two years up to 25.09.2016. This facility was first introduced in the year 2008.

Presently, no other proposal is under consideration for including more places under the conversion of Home Town LTC to anywhere in the country.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in Prime Minister’s office Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question by Shri M. Raja Mohan Reddy in the Lok Sabha today

Source: www.7thpaycommissionnews.in