Central govt employees can fly to JK, NE on LTC

Central government employees, who are not entitled to air travel, can fly to Jammu and Kashmir, Northeastern states and Andaman and Nicobar Islands under Leave Travel Concession (LTC) allowance for two years till September 2018.
They are allowed to travel in any airline to Jammu and Kashmir, however, the journey should be undertaken in economy class, an order issued today by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.
The DoPT had in September 2014 relaxed the LTC rules to allow government servants to travel by air to Northeast region, Jammu and Kashmir and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The relaxation has been extended for two more years with effect from September 26, the order said.

There are about 50 lakh central government employees.
It said that the travel by air to continue to be performed by Air India in economy class.

The condition that air tickets can be purchased either directly from the airlines (booking counters or website) or through authorised agents only viz. M/s Balmer Lawrie and Co Ltd, M/s Ashok Travels and Tours Ltd and IRCTC shall necessarily apply, thr order said.
A central government employees gets reimbursement of tickets for to and fro journey besides paid leaves when he avails the LTC allowance.
The DoPT has also warned employees against misuse of LTC rules.

"Efforts should be made by the government servants to book the air tickets at the cheapest fare possible. All the ministries or departments are advised to bring it to the notice of all their employees that any misuse of LTC will be viewed seriously and the employees will be liable for appropriate action under the rules," it said.
In order to keep a check on any kind of misuse of LTC, all departments are advised to randomly get some air tickets, submitted by the officials, verified from the airlines concerned with regard to the actual cost of air travel vis-a-vis the cost indicated on the air tickets submitted by the officials, said the DoPT order, issued to secretaries of all central government departments.