The Central Government of India has introduced new guidelines for employees booking air tickets while utilising the LTC facility. These rules are expected to streamline the process for employees seeking reimbursement for expenses incurred under LTC.
According to a memorandum released by the Personnel and Training Department, booking air tickets through authorised travel agents, such as Balmer Lawrie & Company, Ashok Travels & Tours, and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), will be considered compliant with the guidelines, provided that the employee books the most economical fare within the designated time frame. However, a 10 percent additional allowance can be levied.
The Central Government has also specified that authorised travel agents must provide flight details and label the tickets as LTC when central government employees avail of the LTC facility.
This new rule will particularly benefit employees who may have difficulty providing proof of air tickets booked through a travel agent. It applies to bookings made until August 29, 2022.
For government employees who are not entitled to air travel benefits but need to travel directly by air from their place of work to destinations in NER (North Eastern Region), Jammu and Kashmir, A&N (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), and Ladakh under the Special Concession Scheme, it will be necessary to acquire a printout during the specified timeframe. If tickets are not accessible within that specific timeframe, a printout of the flight details for the next available slot can be retained for reimbursement purposes.
Furthermore, all three authorised travel agents are instructed to facilitate registration for employees who do not have official email accounts.
