If you are a central government employee, this update may be important for you.
The central government has extended the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) scheme, allowing travel to Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
and the Northeast region, by two more years. Initially, the scheme was set to end on 25 September 2024, but employees can now benefit from it until 25 September 2026.
Under this scheme, eligible central government employees can receive reimbursement for travel tickets along with paid leave.
Government Order Details
The Personnel Ministry recently issued an order stating that eligible employees can use LTC to visit these regions by converting one of their home town LTCs within a four-year block period.
Even employees who are not entitled to air travel are now permitted to fly in economy class to these destinations.
Those who are entitled to air travel can book flights in their entitled class from their headquarters.
Employees who aren’t entitled to air travel can still fly in economy class on specific routes, which include:
1) Between Kolkata/Guwahati and any place in the Northeast
2) Between Kolkata/Chennai/Visakhapatnam and Port Blair
3) Between Delhi/Amritsar and any place in Jammu & Kashmir/Ladakh
Booking and Travel Rules
Employees must follow government guidelines when booking air tickets, including using approved travel agents and selecting the best available fares.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) also highlighted the importance of preventing LTC misuse.
Random audits will be conducted to verify that the claimed expenses match the actual travel costs.
