Exemption for Air Travel in Airlines other than Air India in Individual cases of Autonomous Bodies – Finmin Orders

No.19024/1/2009-E.IV

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

Department of Expenditure

New Delhi, dated the 26th July, 2016

Office Memorandum

Sub:- Delegation of powers to Financial Advisers of administrative Ministry/ Department to accord exemption for air travel in airlines other than Air India in individual cases of autonomous bodies— reg.

Reference is invited to Para ‘2’ of Department of Expenditures O.M. of even number dated 07.06.2016, which provides that powers, which were vested with Ministry of Civil Aviation to accord exemption for Air travel, both domestic and international, by Airlines other than Air India because of operational or other reasons or on account of non-availability, have been delegated to the Financial Advisers (FA) of the administrative Ministries/Departments and that in respect of the individual cases of Autonomous bodies, the FAs of the concerned Ministry/Department will accord exemption for Air travel by Airlines other than Air India.

2. Several references are being received in this Department seeking further delegation of powers to FAs of Autonomous bodies/statutory organisations, to accord approval to travel in any Airlines other than Air India, in individual cases covering that Autonomous body/statutory organisation.

3. It is hereby clarified that the powers to accord exemption for air travel by airlines other than Air India, including individual cases of Autonomous bodies, are vested only in the Advisers of the Ministries/Departments, exercising administrative control over the Autonomous body/statutory organisation and that these powers cannot be further delegated to FAs of the Autonomous body/statutory organisation under the administrative control of the Ministry/Department concerned.

Sd/-

(Nirmala Dev)

Deputy Secretary to the Govemment of India

Source:http://finmin.nic.in/the_ministry/dept_expenditure/notification/air_travel/AirTravel_OM26072016.pdf

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Book LTC Tickets on Lowest Fare or Face Action: Modi Government to Staff

Book LTC Tickets on Lowest Fare or Face Action: Modi Government to Staff

The ministries concerned will also carry out random checks with airlines to ensure that the tickets were booked at the lowest fare available on the date of purchase

Employees who fail to buy air tickets at the lowest price available on the day while undertaking journey on Leave Travel Concession (LTC) claim will face severe penal action, as per the draft guidelines finalised by the Centre.

The move comes after the government noticed instances where some of its employees colluded with private travel agents to submit LTC claims showing inflated airfare to clandestinely obtain undue benefits like free boarding, lodging, transport or cash refunds.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is also looking into cases of alleged irregularities in availing the LTC claims.

The ministries concerned will also carry out random checks with airlines to ensure that the tickets were booked at the lowest fare available on the date of purchase.

“It has now been decided that in accordance with the canons of financial propriety, government servants should purchase tickets at the lowest rate available at the time of booking for the date and time of scheduled journey.

“Government servant will be required to submit print-out of tickets showing date and time of booking in addition to the fare charged,” the new guidelines drafted by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.

Any violation of the existing norms by authorised travel agents — M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company, M/s Ashok Travels & Tours and IRCTC — will invite blacklisting.

A government employee gets reimbursement of tickets for to-and-fro journey, in addition to leaves, when he avails LTC.

There are about 50 lakh central government employees.

The proposed guidelines have cited provisions of the service rules “which require the government servants to maintain absolute integrity at all times”. In addition, cheating and fraud also attract various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), it said.

“Ministries and departments should therefore not hesitate to take severe action against employees guilty of deliberate malpractices, particularly in collusion with travel agents etc,” the DoPT said.

The new guidelines are likely to come into force from next month, a senior government official said.

The DoPT has also warned the employees that any plea of ignorance of rules will not be entertained and any deviation will be handled legally and in accordance with the service rules.

As per the draft guidelines, while submitting the LTC claim after completion of the journey, the government servant will be required to submit a self-certificate on plain paper that the airfare claimed by him or her in respect of the fare charged by the airline is for the air journey only and does not include any charges for any facility, undue benefit including boarding, lodging or local transport.

The employees need to certify that the tickets were booked “at the lowest fare available for the destination at the time of booking for the scheduled date and time of departure” and that they are aware that suppression of any information or furnishing wrong information will render them liable to disciplinary action.

Source : EconomicTimes

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Government directs officers to strictly follow LTC Rules

New Delhi: The officers of all departments have been asked to do due diligence while processing Leave Travel Concession (LTC) claims of employees as part of fresh set of guidelines issued by the Centre.

“As per LTC rules, a government servant may travel only by vehicles operated by central or state government or local bodies or by any corporation in the public sector owned or controlled by central or state government.Journey on LTC by taxi, auto-rickshaw etc, are permissible only between places not connected by rail,” the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said in its order F. No. 31011/3/2015-Estt (A-IV) dated April 1.

The move comes after the DoPT received a large number of recommendations for relaxation of some or the other provision of the LTC rules in individual cases.

It is seen that, in most cases the situation arises as due care had not been exercised by the government servant or the administrative authority in claiming LTC or in examination, the order issued to secretaries of all departments said.

“In this connection it may please be noted that the primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with the rules is that of the government servant. The of-repeated plea of ignorance of rules cannot be a valid ground for relaxation of rules.

“At the same time it has also been noticed that the administrative authorities have also shown laxity and due diligence on their part could have prevented such situations from arising,” the DoPT said.

Government servants travelling by air under LTC are required to book their tickets either directly from the airline or through the approved agencies viz: Balmer Lawrie & Co Ltd, Ashok Tours & Travels Ltd or IRCTC. “Booking through any other agency is not permissible,” it said.

The Centre has been taking many steps to check instances of any irregularity in LTC claims.

CBI is also probing fake travel bills scam (also known as LTC scam) allegedly involving certain government employees.

There are about 48 lakh central government employees.

Source:PTI

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

No.31011/5/2014-Estt.(A-IV)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

Department of Personnel and Training

North Block, New Delhi-110001

Dated: 24th September, 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

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

The undersigned is directed to refer to the conditions laid down by this Department’s O.M. No. 31011/4/2014-Estt.(A.lV) dated 19th June, 2014, as per which 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. 310111612002-Estt.(A) dated 02.12.2009) while undertaking LTC journey(s).

2. The matter has further been reviewed and it is clarified that the web-portal of authorized travel agents, namely M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company Ltd., M/s Ashok Travels & Tours and IRCTC will also be treated as an acceptable mode for purchase of air tickets on LTC. However, booking of air tickets through web-portals of these authorized agents would also be governed by the provisions of Department of Expenditure’s O.M. No. 19024/1/2012-E-IV dated 5th September, 2014 which are as under:

(i) No feel service charges (by whatever nomenclature), which are not included in the ‘tariff’ charged by Air-India/airlines, are required to be paid to the aforementioned authorised travel agents.

(ii) As far as possible, air tickets on Government account may be obtained directly from the Air India/Airlines (booking counters/offices/websites) and if obtaining tickets directly from Air India/Airlines is not possible, should the services of authorised travel agents be availed of.

3. All Ministries/Departments are advised to bring these guidelines to the notice of all their employees.

Sd/-

(B. Bandopadhyay)

Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

Source:http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/31011_5_2014-Estt-A-IV.pdf

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‘Facilitation Fee’ levied by authorised travel agents on air tickets booked on Government account — Withdrawal regarding.

No. 19024/1/2012-E-IV

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

Department of Expenditure

North Block, New Delhi.

Dated the 5th September, 2014.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject:- ‘Facilitation Fee’ levied by authorised travel agents on air tickets booked on Government account — Withdrawal regarding.

Attention is invited to this Department’s O.M. of even number dated 10th October, 2013 wherein the authorised travel agents namely M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited (BLCL), M/s Ashok Travels & Tours (ATT) and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC), were allowed to levy ‘Facilitation Fee’ @ 100/- per ticket for domestic sector and .7300/- per ticket for international sector for air travel, wherein Government of India bears the cost of air passage.

2. The issue has been re-examined in consultation with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Department of Legal Affairs, in the light of provisions of the Aircrafts Rules, 1937, as amended from time to time, and it has been decided to withdraw this Department’s O.M. of even number dated 10th October. 2013 with immediate effect. Consequently, no fee/service charges (by whatever nomenclature), which are not included in the ‘tariff’ charged by Air India/Airlines, are required to be paid to the authorised travel agents.

3. Payment to the authorised travel agents for the Bills raised by them for air tickets procured/purchased till date, in respect of air travel already undertaken or due to be undertaken, would be regulated as per O.M. of even number dated 10.10.2013. It is reiterated that, as far as possible, air tickets on Government account may be obtained directly from Air India/Airlines (booking counters/offices/website) and if obtaining tickets directly from Air India/Airlines is not possible, should the services of authorised travel agents be availed of.

4. All Ministries/Departments are advised to bring these instructions to the notice of all concerned for compliance.

Sd/-

(Subhash Chand)

Director

http://finmin.nic.in/the_ministry/dept_expenditure/notification/air_travel/facilitaionFee_AirTicket_withdrawal05092014.pdf

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DoPT Order 2014: Clarification regarding purchase of Air Tickets from Authorized Travel Agents for the purpose of LTC.

F.No. 31011/4/2014-Estt (A.IV)

Government of India

Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

Department of Personnel and Training

North Block, New Delhi-110 001

Dated: 19th June, 2014

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: – Clarification regarding purchase of Air Tickets from Authorized Travel Agents for the purpose of LTC.

The undersigned is directed to refer to the instructions issued from time to time on the above noted subject and say that the Government employees are required to book their 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 & Tour’ and ‘IRCTC’ (to the extent IRCTC is authorized as per DoPT O.M. No.31011/6/2002-Estt.(A) dated 02.12.2009) while undertaking LTC journey(s).

2. In a number of cases, it has been noticed that the aforesaid instructions are not being followed and as a result various Ministries/Departments continue to make references to DoPT seeking relaxation of the conditions for one reason or the other. The most common reasons given by the employees are unawareness of the rules and non-availability of Authorized Travel Agents viz. M/s Ashok Tmvels, M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company at places where the tickets have been booked from. Even in such cases, the option of booking directly from the airlines through their website is available. In no case is the booking of tickets through any other agency is permissible.

3. All the Ministries/Departments of Government of India are advised to ensure that their employees are made aware of the above mentioned guidelines to avoid breach of any of the LTC rules.

4. This issues with the approval of Joint Secretary(E).

Sd/-

(B.Bandyopadhyay)

Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

Source:http://ccis.nic.in/WriteReadData/CircularPortal/D2/D02est/31011_4_2014-Estt-A.IV.pdf

LTC (SOME IMPORTANT FAQ)

LTC by air extended for 2 more years

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