Delhi govt staff can take opt for equivalent of LTC, move to boost spending

Delhi govt staff can take opt for equivalent of LTC, move to boost spending

The Delhi government on Thursday announced that its employees can take cash equivalent of leave travel concession (LTC) if they opt for it, a move aimed at boosting consumer spending during the festive season.

It said a special festival package of advance will be also be accorded to all Delhi government employees for any important festivals up to March 31, 2021.

The Finance department under Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has decided to give a mega festive package to Delhi government employees in view of the hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown, an official statement said.

The government has decided that cash equivalent of LTC will be given to its employees by way of reimbursement if an employee opts for this in lieu of LTC in the block of 201821, the Delhi government statement said.

"The employees who are entitled to business class airfare will get Rs 36,000 LTC followed by Rs 20,000 for the employees who are entitled to an economy class of airfare. The employees who are entitled to rail fare of any class will get Rs 6,000 LTC," it said

It has also been decided that a special festival package of advance will be accorded to all the Delhi government employees for any important festivals up to March 31, 2021.

An amount of Rs 10,000 will be paid to the employees as advance, under the initiative, it said.

The special cash package has been announced in a bid to boost the consumption expenditure and incentivise employees, the statement said.

The Delhi government is very hopeful that through these steps it will bring some ease to lives of the employees and they will be able to happily celebrate the upcoming festival with their family, it said.

A number of Delhi government employees are not in a position to avail the LTC fare for travel to any place in India or their hometowns in the current block of 201821 due to disruption in transport and hospitality sectors caused by the pandemic, it said.

The special festival advance is being given with a view to enabling government servants to meet expenses relating to festivals and to encourage spending, thereby giving a boost to economic activities, it said.

Earlier this provision of advance was only there for the non-gazetted employees. Now it would be applicable to both gazetted and non-gazetted employees, it said.

Employees will get a pre-loaded 'Rupay' card of the advance value.