Central government employees may get to visit some SAARC
nations barringPakistan under
new Leave Travel Concession (LTC) rules being finalised by
the Centre.
"Employees will be able to avail LTC to
visit some SAARC countries. A proposal in this regard is being finalised by the
government," Union Minister Jitendra
Singh told.
LTC allows grant of leave and ticket
reimbursement to eligible central government employees.
The decision has been taken to promote people-to-people contact and boost tourism among the SAARC regions, he said.
The decision has been taken to promote people-to-people contact and boost tourism among the SAARC regions, he said.
"The government has been taking many
steps to promote trade and travel. This is one of such steps to further boost
ties among SAARC nations," said Singh, Minister of State for Personnel,
Public Grievances and Pensions.
The South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) is a group of eight nations comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and
India.
Officials in the Personnel Ministry said the
LTC facility will not be available for visiting Pakistan and few other nations
due to security concerns.
The draft for new LTC rules is in initial
stage and it will be finalised after inter-ministerial consultations, they
said.
"One of the major decisions taken by
the Narendra Modi government soon after it took over was
to extend the facility of conversion of 'home town' LTC to visit states of
Jammu & Kashmir, northeastern region and Union Territory of Andaman &
Nicobar for a further period of two years up to September 25, 2016," the
Minister said.
The Personnel Ministry has been regularly reviewing
LTC rules to allow government employees to visit unexplored places like
northeast. The ministry is also considering allowing government servants not
entitled to travel by air to fly in economy class.
The ministry has of late put in place measures
to check misuse of LTC facility. CBI is probing fake travel bills scam (LTC
scam) allegedly involving certain government employees and present and former
Members of Parliament.
"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.
"In order to keep a check on any kind of
misuse of LTC, ministries or departments are advised to randomly get some of
the 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," according to an order issued
by the Personnel Ministry.
Source:-The Economic Times
