LTC for the newly recruited CGEs

Leave Travel Concession for Central Government employees in general provides for reimbursement of fare entitled to the employee and his / her family concerned for the travel to home town twice in four years or to a place any where in India in lieu of one home town travel concession once in four years.

As far as newly recruited Central Government Employees are concerned, LTC Scheme provides for some additional benefits which are discussed in this article.

LTC Scheme after implementation of Sixth Pay Commission report – Benefits to Fresh Recruits in the form of additional LTC trips
LTC Rules amended after implementation of sixth pay commission provides certain more Benefits to Fresh Recruits in the form of allowing additional home town trips under LTC (after completion of one year of continuous service in central government service)
As per the amendment made in Rule 8 of LTC Rules, Fresh recruits to Central Government may be are allowed to travel to their home town along with their families on three occasions in a block of four years and to any place in India on the fourth occasion.
This facility shall be available to the Government officers only for the first two blocks of four years applicable after joining the Government for the first time. In other words after completion of one year of continuous service in Central Government service one can avail LTC for three Home town trips and one All India trip in each of two LTC blocks that fall in in the first eight years of Government service

The blocks of 4 years shall apply with reference to the initial date of joining the Government even though the employee changes the job within Government subsequently. The existing blocks will remain the same but the entitlements of the new recruit will be different in the first eight years of service.

After grant of this additional LTC benefits to fresh recruits, doubts were raised whether this additional benefits can be allowed Central Government Employees who have joined in the Government Service prior to 23.09.2008 (i.e. before the date of issue of OM) but yet to complete 8 years of service.

Later, DOPT clarified in this aspect to the effect that all Government servants who have not completed 8 years of service as on 01.09.2008 would be entitled for the LTC benefits available to fresh recruits.

Married and unmarried Central Government Employees can travel to home availing LTC once a year in one block of 4 years:**
This benefit was available even prior to implementation of sixth pay Commission. Under this clause, Married and unmarried Central Government Employees can travel to home availing LTC once a year in one LTC block of 4 years. There is no restriction in the form of number of years of service to avail LTC in this clause. However, this LTC for travel to home town once a year in the block of 4 years restricted to employee only. The family of the employee is not entitled LTC under this clause.
However, following conditions are to be satisfied in order to avail additional Home Town Trips in one LTC block:

1. The family of Central Government Employee should be living away from him/her at her/his home town.
2. No other LTC claim including LTC to all India and home town can be made by the employee for self and his/her family in the LTC block.

(** It is just an assumption that family of fresh recruits would usually be away from him/her at his/her home town. In fact this facility is available all central government employees whose family is at home town. There is no restriction in the form of number of years of service completed)