7th Pay Commission Latest News: Centre Announces Big LTC Allowance Relief For Govt Employees

7th Pay Commission Latest News: The penal interest may not be charged on LTC advance amount taken by the government employees on LTC journey scheduled during the lockdown period.

7th Pay Commission Latest News Today: Giving a major relief to government employees, the Centre on Wednesday made a big announcement related to LTC allowance. The Central government has decided to give one-time relaxation for reimbursement of the cancellation charges under the 7th Pay Commission linked LTC allowance.

Notably, the Centre has announced 3 major relaxations on reimbursement of cancellation/reschedule charges for air/train tickets booked for the purpose of LTC and relaxation of LTC advance due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The department said that for the benefit of the employees, Ministries/ Departments have been delegated the power to reimburse the cancellation/ reschedule charges of air/train tickets, as a one-time relaxation, to such government employees who had booked advance air/train tickets for the purpose of LTC journey during the Lockdown period from 24th March, 2020 to 31st May, 2020 but were not able to perform the journey due to cancellation/ rescheduling of flights / trains during that period.

The department stated that government employees seeking reimbursement of cancellation/ reschedule charges shall be required to produce the receipt of cancellation/ re-schedule charges incurred by them. In cases where the airlines have kept the refund amount in ‘Credit Shell’, Ministries / Departments may extend the period of repayment of LTC advance taken by the Government servant for LTC journey scheduled during the lockdown period(March-May, 2020), till February 28 or till such time the amount in ‘Credit Shell’ is utilised by the Government servant to perform LTC journey, whichever is earlier.

Moreover, the penal interest may not be charged on LTC advance amount taken by the government employees on LTC journey scheduled during the lockdown period.

In cases if the government employees have drawn LTC advance as well as leave encashment so as to undertake the LTC journey, but could not do so during the lockdown period and now intend to opt for Special Cash Package Scheme in lieu of LTC, they are also allowed to avail the facility of the Scheme. The LTC advance and leave encashment which have remained unsettled due to non-performance of the journey, may be adjusted as per the provisions of the Special Cash Package Scheme.

Issuing a notice in this regard, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said during the months of March-May, 2020, a nation-wide lockdown was imposed across the country in view of the prevailing Covid-19 epidemic. It further added that during this period, all domestic flights within India were cancelled but certain airlines have charged the cancellation charges against the pre-booked air tickets.

“In such a situation, many government employees who had booked LTC tickets in advance for that period are facing financial difficulties in view of the high cancellation amount charged by the airlines. Requests are being received in this department for grant of one-time relaxation for reimbursement of the cancellation charges,” the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said in the order.