LTC Air Travel restricted to Air India applies only to entitled employees

Readers may aware that Air Travel by LTC involves many conditions and among those 

Traveling by Air India Flight and booking of Air tickets only through Air India, and authorised agents such as Balmer & Lawrie and Ashoka Travels are very important conditions.

However, DOPT in it Office Memorandum No.31011/2/2006-Estt.(A) dated 11th March 2010 had clarified that restriction of travel by Air India only need not apply to non- entitled officials concerned who travel by air and claim LTC reimbursement by entitled class of rail.

In line with DOPT’s clarifications, Controller General of Defence Accounts has also issued similar clarifications in his letter No. AN/XIV/14162/TA/DA/LTC dated 19.03.2012.

It is clarified by CGDA that the restriction as laid down by the Govt to travel only by Air India and booking of tickets compulsorily through web site of Air India/M/S Barrner & Lawrie/M/S Ashoka Travels is applicable only for officers who are entitled to travel by air and whose cost of air passage is borne by the Govt. It is however, further clarified that in the event of non-entitled officials travelling on LTC by air (Air India/Pvt. Airlines for J&K) while availing special concessions for J&K/NER, the booking of tickets/travel has to be done as per the extant orders on the subject.

The full text of clarification dated 19.03.2012 issued by CGDA is as follows

Controller General of Defence Accounts,
Ulan Batar Road, Palam, Delhi Cantt-110010
IMPORTANT CIRCULAR

No. AN/XIV/14162/TA/DA/LTC

Dated 19.3.2012

To
All PCsDA/CsDA
(Thru CDA mail server)
Sub: Clarification on booking of tickets from an agency other than the authorized travel agents by non-entitled officers/staff.

References are being received in this HQrs office seeking clarification on regulating of LTC claims in respect of officials who are not entitled to travel by air but carry out the journey by air (Air India/Pvt airlines) on LTC etc. due to unavoidable or other circumstances. Clarifications are also being sought as to whether a non-entitled officer should compulsorily book their air tickets from the authorized agents viz. M/S Barmer & Lawrie & M/S Ashoka Travels etc. as brought out in this HQrs office important circular of even number dated 16/09/2010 and 24/8/2011.

2. In this connection attention is invited to this HQrs office letter No.AN/XIV/14162/VI CPC/Circular/Vol.III dated 12/3/2010, forwarding a copy of Govt of India, DoP&T OM No.31011/2/2006-Estt.(A) dated 11th March 2010 on the above subject. It has been clarified by D0P&T that "restriction of travel by Air India only need not apply to non- entitled officials concerned who travel by air and claim LTC reimbursement by entitled class of rail."

3. Accordingly, it is clarified that the restriction as laid down by the Govt to travel only by Air India and booking of tickets compulsorily through web site of Air India/M/S Balmer & Lawrie/M/S Ashoka Travels is applicable only for officers who are entitled to travel by air and whose cost of air passage is borne by the Govt. It is however, further clarified that in the event of non-entitled officials travelling on LTC by air (Air India/Pvt. Airlines for J&K) while availing special concessions for J&K/NER, the booking of tickets/travel has to be done as per the extant orders on the subject.

This issues with the approval of Jt.CGDA(AN)

Sd/-
(R.K Bhatt)
For CGDA