Travel concession expanded: Government employees now eligible for Tejas, Vande Bharat train travel

The Centre has now allowed its employees to travel on premium trains like Tejas, Vande Bharat, and Humsafar under the Leave Travel Concession (LTC), according to an official order. This decision follows queries raised by several government offices and individuals regarding whether travel on these trains could be covered under LTC.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) examined the matter in consultation with the Department of Expenditure and decided to include these trains as eligible travel options under the LTC.

As per the order issued by DoPT, employees can now travel on Tejas Express, Vande Bharat Express, and Humsafar Express, in addition to the previously allowed Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto trains, based on their entitlement.

Under the LTC scheme, eligible Central government employees can be reimbursed for their train tickets for both onward and return journeys, along with paid leave when they avail of LTC.

What is LTC?

The Leave Travel Concession (LTC) scheme allows government employees to travel to their hometown or anywhere in India during a four-year block. Employees can either travel to their hometown twice in two-year periods or use one of those periods to visit a different destination in India.

To qualify for LTC, employees must meet certain criteria. Also, the travel entitlement for government employees under LTC depends on their pay level in the Pay Matrix.

It is available to Central Government employees and covers both the employee and their eligible family members for travel expenses.

What was allowed earlier?

Previously, government employees could travel on trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto under the LTC scheme. The new decision expands the list of trains available for LTC travel, providing employees with more options while still adhering to the same entitlements based on their pay levels. Here’s a breakdown of the travel entitlements: