- SIR MK

Leave Travel Concession (LTC)

Overview

In 1956, Government of India introduced the facilities of LTC which was regulated by relevant orders issued from time to time. Later in 1988, all orders were compiled and a fresh rule was introduced as Central Civil Services (Leave Travel Concession) Rules, 1988. In short is it called CCS(LTC) Rules 1988 and herein after it will be written as the same.

Eligibility criteria

1.1 CCS(LTC) Rules 1988 is applicable to:

(a) Persons who are appointed to civil services & posts including civilian Government personnel in Defence Services.

(b) Persons who are re-employed after their retirement. This may be applicable provided that the person is re-employed immediately after retirement without any brake. The period of re-employed service will be treated as continuous with the previous service.

(d) Persons who are appointed on contract basis. This may be applicable provided that the person is appointed on contract basis for a period of one year and later it is extended.

1.2 One year of continuous service on the date of onward journey [Rule: 2].

1.3 Railway e mployee are also eligible for LTC subject to surrender of Railway passes. If any pass isused/availed for the particular year, LTC shall not be allowed for that year (calendar year).

1.4 No Home Town LTC is admissible is to Railway employee, only All India LTC is allowed once in a period of 4 years [OM dtd: 27/03/2018].

1.5 For the purpose of LTC, year means calendar year [Rule 7].

1.6 If any employee is under suspension, LTC will be admissible only to his/her family members not to the employee [Rule 7, GID (20)].

1.7 When both the husband & wife are Central Government servants: (a) They can declare separate Home town independently (b) They can claim LTC fr their respective family members. Husband can claim for his parents/minor brother/sisters etc. & wife can avail for her parents/minor brothers/sisters etc. (c) Either of parents can claim the concession for the children in a particular block (d) Husband/Wife who avails LTC as a member of the family of the spouse, cannot claim independently for self.

1.8 In case of Para 1.7 while on availing LTC (Home Town or All India), an undertaking is

required to be furnished as:

I the undersigned is hereby certify that my husband/wife for whom LTC (Block Year ___) is claimed by me is employed in ____________ (Name of the department) which provides Leave Travel Concession facilities but he/she has not preferred and will not prefer any claim in this behalf of his/her employer for that particular block year. If any double claim for the aforesaid LTC is detected or found, disciplinary action deem fit may be taken.

1.9 LTC in combination of transfer/tour: Home Town/All India LTC can be availed in combination of transfer/tour. The claim will be regulated as per Ministry of Finance guidelines laid down in DoPT OM No. 31011/2/2006-Estt(A) dtd: 21/05/2007.

1.10 Family includes:

(a) Spouse, two surviving unmarried children (Two child norms applicable w.e.f. 20/10/1998.

(b) Married daughters/sisters divorced, abandoned or separated from their husbands, widow daughter/sister, unmarried minor brother residing & fully dependent on Government employee.

1.11 Only one wife is included in term ‘Family’ for LTC rules. However, if second marriage resulted with the permission of government, second wife is also included.

1.12 It is not necessary/mandatory for family members to reside with the Government employee so as to be eligible for LTC [Rule 7, GID (23)].

1.13 Children of sisters who are divorced, abandoned, separated from their husbands or widowed are not included in the term ‘Family’.

1.14 A member whose income from all sources does not exceed Rs. 9000/P.M. will be treated as dependent on Government employee [Rule (4) Explanations & Rule 4. GID (2)].

1.15 Husband & wife is one unit for purpose of LTC and hence the condition of dependency is not applicable [Rule 4, GID (3)].

1.16 LTC can be availed for self and family members separately on different occasions even in different calendar years of the same block. Even family members can avail LTC in separate bunches for different calendar years of the same block. Family members can visit different places as well.

1.17 Circular Tickets are allowed in LTC but the re-imbursement is restricted to direct shortest route entitled class fare.

1.18 LTC can be availed any leave including Study leave, CL, Special Casual Leave and even in CCL [DoPT OM dtd: 03/04/2018].

1.19 LTC can’t be availed during closed holidays/public holidays/weekly holiday as it’s Leave Travel Concession. Hence, can be availed with leave only.

1.20 LTC for one block year can be carried forward to the first year of the next block year. Example: (a) The outward journey of block year 2019-19 can be performed upto 31/12/2020. (b) Block year 2018-19 may be extended to calendar year 2020 (c) Block year 2020-2021 can be extended to calendar year 2021. (d) All India Block year 2018-21 can be availed upto 31/12/2022.

1.21 The Government employee including fresh recruits are entitled to LTC to Home Town for self alone every year cannot carry forward [Rule 8, GID (4)].

1.22 Fresh recruits to Central Government are allowed to travel to their home town along with family members on three occasions to home town and fourth occasion to All India. This concession is available for first two block of 4 years. The block of four year will apply with reference to the initial date of joining the post even though the employee changes the job within Government subsequently. The present block will be the same but the entitlements of the new recruits will be different in the first year years of service. [Rule 8, GID (I) & (2)].

1.23 The entitlements in r/o fresh recruits will be as under: If an employee is appointed on 08/04/2011-

Year of LTC	Type of LTC	LTC occasion	Remark
08/04/2011 to 07/04/2012	Nil	Nil	After completion of 8^th occasion, if LTC cycle coincides with the beginning of the second two block year (20-21), he/she will be eligible for Home Town on as he has already availed All India on 8^th occasion in that slab of block year. Whichever is due will be admissible.
08/04/2012 to 31/12/2012	Home Town	1^st
01/01/2013 to 31/12/2013	Home Town	2^nd
01/01/2014 to 31/12/2014	Home Town	3^rd
01/01/2015 to 31/12/2015	All India	4^th
01/01/2016 to 31/12/2016	Home Town	5^th
01/01/2017 to 31/12/2017	Home Town	6^th
01/01/2018 to 31/12/2018	Home Town	7^th
01/01/2019 to 31/12/2019	All India	8^th
01/01/2020 to 31/12/2021	Home Town	Old entitlement
01/01/2021 to 31/12/2021	No LTC	Nil
2022 on ward	New entitlement

1.24 The intended place (Only one place) of visit is required to be declared before the competent authority at the time for applying for the said LTC.

1.25 The change in declared place of visit is permissible provided that the same should be intimated to the competent authority before commencement of onward journey

Entitlements of LTC

2.1 The entitlements in regard to journey undertaken by different mode of transports are same as on tour/transfer but the facility of Air Travel for LTC is admissible from Level – 9 onward only.

2.2 Employees of Pay Level-14 & above shall be entitled for Air Travel in Business/Club Class subject to fulfillment of other conditions as per rule/orders [DoPT OM dtd: 18/01/2018].

2.3 Travel by Premium Trains or Premium Tatkal Trains or Suvidha Trans is permissible and the Tatkal charges or Premium charges shall also be reimbursable on LTC. This rule is came in force w.e.f. 01/07/2017 [Rule 12, GID (1-B0].

2.4 Air journey by non-entitled officials (both by Air India or Private Airlines) between places connected by train is allowed provided that the reimbursement would be restricted the fare of the entitled class by train (including Rajdhani/Shatabdi) from direct shortest route. If full fare is paid in r/o children/senior citizen, full fare is reimbursable [Rule 12, GIDs (3 to 5)].

2.5 In case when non- entitled class officials travel by air (irrespective of airlines) on LTC and claiming the entitled class train fare, the condition of booking the air tickets through authorized travel agents may not be insisted upon. In rest of the cases, the condition shall continue to be followed [Rule, 12, GID (33)].

2.6 No reimbursement on LTC for children below the age of 5 years who are not entitled for air travel on LTC is allowed as Indian Railway does not charge children for such journey [DoPT OM dtd: 16/05/2018].

2.7 The reimbursement of air fare is restricted to LTC – 80 fare scheme of Air India for that particular/respective sector. This is came in force w.e.f. 01/12/2008 [Rule 12, GID (17 to 19].

2.8 All air tickets are required to be purchased through: (a) Airline Booking Counters (b) Direct from official web site of the airlines (c) through M/s. Balmer Lawrie & Company, M/s. Ashok Travels & Tours (d) IRCTC only [Rule 12, GID (27)].

2.9 For Government employees who are serving in Ladakh Region, his/her spouse & two children (upto 18 years for boy & 24 years for girls), air travel is permissible between Leh & Srinagar/Jammu/Chandigarh during winter [Rule 12, GID (7)].

2.10 In case of journey by road, the entitlements are the sas as for tour/transfer provided that air travel as discussed in para 2.1. Reimbursement is admissible if the road journey on LTC is performed by vehicles operated by the Government or any Corporaton in the public sector run or owned by either Central or State Government or a local body [Rule 12, GID (1)].

2.11 In case of Physically handicapped (PH) officials, HOD can allow use of own car/hired taxi for him/her or his/her family dependent members subject to conditions [Rule 12, GID (2)].

2.12 Tour packages operated by IRCTC: LTC is admissible in IRCTC tour packages provided that IRCTC in it’s certificate the 3 components separately: (i) Ticket Fare (ii) Food Charge (iii) Accommodation charge if any [DoPT OM 3101 11612002-Estt.(A) dtd: 02/12/2009].

Special Relaxation to travel by Air to vist NER, J&K and A&N [DoPT OM No. Dtd: ]

3.1 Government of India from time to time issues such orders regarding all Government officials irrespective of their entitlements can travel by Air to visit NER, J&K and A&N even by converting one block of their Home Town LTC. Fresh recruits are also allowed to convert any one block of Home Town from 3 spells. However, this facility is also allowed against All India block of LTC.

3.2 Officials are required to travel from Headquarter to (a) Kolkata/Guwahati to visit NER (b) Bhubneshwar/Kolkata/Chennai to visit A&N (c) Delhi/Amritsar to visit J&K in their entitled class of Train. Beyond Air fare is allowed.

3.3 Air journey from Delhi/Amritsar to visit J&K is permissible in Private Airlines.

3.4 Officers who are entitled for air travel in normal may also travel by Private Airlines from their Headquarter to any place in J&K.

Reimbursement of LTC

4.1 No daily allowances are admissible on LTC.

4.2 From 31/10/2017, full reimbursement as per entitlement is permissible for journey(s) on LTC performed by his/her dependent family members from any place to Headquarter/Place of posting of the Government Official & back. If journey(s) is/are performed from any place to Head quarter it will be counted as All India LTC & if journey(s) is/are performed from Home Town to Headquarter then it will be counted as Home Town LTC as the case may be [DoPT OM dtd: 31/10/2017].

4.3 If the journey on LTC is performed by longer route the reimbursement will be restricted to the shortest route for that sector [Rule 13, GID (1)].

4.4 If journey(s) on LTC is/are performed in different classes in a particular sector then the reimbursement will be restricted/permissible to entitled class or lower class (Actual class) proportionately whichever is lower as the case may be [Rule 13, GID (1)].

Example: If Mr. LTC performed a particular journey on LTC on longer route which is 1000 Km & the shortest route distance is 800 Km and he performed his journey (on long route) as: 700 Km in AC-II (His entitlement) & 300 Km in AC-III. His claim will be adjusted as:

Cost of AC-II travel:

(Distance actually travelled in AC-II) x (Total distance by the shortest route)/Total distance by the longer route

= (700)x(800)/1000 = 560 KM will be paid as AC-II class fare.
Cost of AC-III travel: Similarly as above 4.4 (i) = (300)x(800)/1000 = 240 KM.

[MHA OM No. 43/10/58-Ests.(A) dtd: 11/04/1958 & 29/05/1958 and F.31011/9/78-Est.(A) dtd: 24/07/1980].

4.5 All charges incurred for booking rail tickets through internet/e_ticket, Service Tax, Education Cases & other similar levies charged on travel/road/rail/steamer are reimbursable [Rule 13, GID (7 & 9)].

4.6 A copy of essential guidelines is required to be served to a Government Official(s) who is/are proceeding to journey on LTC.

4.7 Catering charges included in Rajdhani/Shatabdi or in premium trains are reimbursable during LTC [Rule 13, GID (13)].

4.8 Circular tickets used for LTC is admissible subject to restriction of reimbursement on direct shortest route [OM No. 35014/4/76-Ests.(A) dtd: 16/12/1976].

LTC Advance

5.1 Maximum upto 90 % of the fare (To & fro journey) is permissible.

5.2 If the leave or anticipated absence of the family members of the Government official exceeds 90 days then withdrawal of advance is permissible for onward journey only .

5.3 Time limit for grant of advance: (a) Journey by Train: 125 days (b) Journey by other modes even partly involved by train: 65 days only before commencement of onward journey [Rule 15, GID (1)].

5.4 The official is required to furnish Railway Ticket numbers, PNR No. etc. before the competent authority within 10 days from the drawal/payment of the advance [DoPT OM No. F. No. 31011/8/2015-Estt. (A.IV) dtd: 13/05/2016].

LTC Final adjustment Claim

6.1 (a) When advance was drawn: within one month from the date of return journey [Rule 14 & 15 (vi)].

(b) When No advance is drawn: Within 3 months from the date of return journey [Rule 14 & 15 (vi)].

6.2 Power has been delegated to Ministries/Departments to relax the time limit incorporated at Para 6.1 with the concurrence of the Financial Advisor as follows:

(a) Upto 3 months if advance is drawn provided that the advance amount is refunded by the Government employee within 45 days from the completion of return journey.

(b) Upto 6 months if no advance is drawn.

6.3 Not complying with the conditions laid down in para 6.1 (a) entire advance amount paid shall be recovered in lumpsum with panel interest above 2 % of GPF rate but the Government employee shall be allowed to submit the claim as under 6.1 (b) above. In case of failure to submit the claim in both the cases 6.1 (a) & (b) within the prescribed time lines, the claim shall stand forfeited (b) If no advance is drawn the claim is treated as forfeited [GFR Rule 292].

6.4 Ministry/Department with the concurrence of Financial Advisor (Accounts Office) can relax the time-limit incorporated in para 6.1 subject to conditions.

Home Town LTC

7.1 Admissible to all Government officials irrespective of distance involved. However, Municipal jurisdiction/urban agglomeration should be changed.

7.2 Admissible once in a block of two years. Two Home town block years in the current 4 years block is 2018-19 & 2020-2021. The current Home Town block year is 2018-19 (can be availed upto 31/12/2020 otherwise treated as lapse). In the year 2020, there are two Home Town Block years are active 2018-19 & 2020-21.

7.3 A Government official (including unmarried) having family at his/her Home Town can avail of this concession for himself/herself alone every year instead of having it for both self & family.

7.4 The Government official whose Headquarter & Home Town are same are not entitled for Home Town LTC [Rule 7, GID (22)].

All India LTC (Any Place in India)

8.1 Available for travel to any place in India: Mainland or overseas including employee’s Home Town.

8.2 It can be availed in lieu of any of the two Home Town block year.

8.3 The officials who are availing LTC to Home Town for self alone once in every year are not entitled [Rule 8 (c)].

LTC for Escort

9.1 An escort for Single Physically Handicapped (PH) Government employee is permissible for tour on LTC to accompany him/her provided that: (a) The PH employee does not have any adult family member (b) Any other employee who is entitled for LTC cant escort (c) Prior approval of the Head of Department is obtained on every occasion [Rule 7, GID (19)].

Encashment of Earned Leave (EL) on LTC

10.1 Encashment of Earned Leave (EL) while availing LTC for self or family is permissible upto 10 days on one occasion irrespective of number of days and nature of leaved availed provided that: (a) Maximum encashment is restricted to 60 days in entire service (b) Minimum 30 EL should be in balance after making encashment [Rule 38-A]. (c) Encashment in one occasion in a particular block year is permissible [DoPT OM No. 14028/22012—Estt.(L) dtd: 09/02/2015].

10.2 EL encashed during LTC will not be deducted while computing the maximum admissible for encashment at the time of quitting/superannuating from service.

10.3 If both Husband & Wife are Government servant, encashment is permissible to both subject to other conditions [DoPT OM No. 14028/2/2012-Estt.(L) dtd: 09/02/2015].

10.4 EL encashment is permissible in both LTC for Home Town & All India [Rule 38-A, GID (2-B)].

10.5 The Government employee whose spouse is employed in Indian Railway/Air India where passes are allowed are also permissible for leave encashment subject to other conditions [Rule 15, GID (10)].

10.6 The re-employed pensioner, if he/she is entitled for LTC, can avail encashment provided that the restriction of 60 days is not violated [Rule 15].

10.7 In case, a Government employee fails to comply with the conditions laid down in para 6.1 above, the encashment amount will be recovered with Panel Interest [Rule 38-A (5)].

10.8 In case, any official forget to apply for grant of EL encashment while applying for grant of LTC either for self or family. The same can be applied after completion of return journey provided the conditions: (a) Within one month from the date of completion of return journey when advance is drawn (b) Within three months from the date of completion of return journey (c) An ex-post facto sanction is required in such cases (d) This should however not be put on regular practice [DoPT OM No. 21011/08/2013-Estt(AL) Dtd: 25/03/2013 ]

10.9 Leave encashment amount is Taxable income.

Misuse of LTC

11.1 Any misuse of LTC, a Government employee will face disciplinary action and during the pendency of such action: The disputed claim will be withheld & further LTC facility will not allowed

11.2 If disciplinary proceeding is over: (a) If not found guilty- (i) The withheld claim will be admitted & (ii) Any LTC due which was not allowed will be allowed as additional set(s) in the future block of years irrespective of the provisions regarding lasing of unavailed LTC. Such set(s) of LTC should be availed before superannuation. (b) If found guilty – (i) The withheld LTC will be disallowed (ii) Next two sets: one Home Town & one All India will be forfeited & (iii) in case of grave misuse, the competent authority may disallow even more than two sets in addition to any penalty under disciplinary rules [Rule 16].

How to apply for grant of LTC

12.1 Step – I : (a) LTC for self – Leave (EL/CL/CCL) is required to be sanctioned from the competent authority by citing the reason for LTC (Home Town/All India) with block year. (b) LTC for family: Just write an application for grant of LTC (Home Town/All India) with block year. To simply the application process a simple format is given below at para No. 12.3.

12.2 Step – II : (a) LTC for self: LTC application alongwith leave granted is required to be submitted to the office for grant of the same as per format given in para No. 12.3. Please strike out the line regarding 10 days EL encashment if not required.

12.3 LTC application format that can be used:

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