Government plans to review the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) policy

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL,PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 2100
ANSWERED ON 18.12.2013

REVIEW OF LTC POLICY

2100 . Shri AMARNATH PRADHAN

Will the Minister of PERSONNEL,PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government plans to review the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) policy to check bogus LTC claims, inflated air travel bills and foreign travels by the employees of the Central Government, State Bank of India and other PSUs as reported in the media;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) if not, the manner in which the Government plans to check fictitious claims and streamline the working of private travel agencies; and

(d) the penal action proposed for violation of rules in this regard?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (SHRI V. NARAYANASAMY)

(a) to (d): Government of India formulates the policies and schemes keeping in mind the various service requirements of the employees and their welfare. Various Ministries/Departments & other independent agencies of the Government of India are responsible for the proper implementation of these policies. These policies are reviewed from time to time and also amended when situation demands.

In case of Leave Travel concession having any fraudulent activities coming to the notice of designated body/agencies, the irregularities are looked into in terms of Rule 16 of the CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988 and disciplinary proceedings are initiated against the Government servant on the charge of preferring a fraudulent claim which may result in imposition of any of the penalties specified in Rule 11 of CCS (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965. During the pendency of disciplinary proceedings, the Government servant shall not be allowed the next two or more sets of LTC in addition to the sets already withheld.

Extension of CGHS facility to State Govt Employees..?

While answering to a question in Parliament, Minister Shri.Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the Central Government Health Scheme is primarily meant for the Central Government employees and pensioners receiving salary / pension from Central Civil Estimates of Government of India. 

The State Government employees and other members of public are not eligible to join CGHS. However, no requests from State Governments including Kerala have been received for improvement in CGHS. 

CGHS is basically providing the dispensary services through its Wellness Centres manned by the General Duty Medical Officers. However, CGHS also provides the services of medical specialists through the Polyclinics and Central Government hospitals. In addition, the CGHS medical specialists also visit designated dispensaries on stipulated days in each week to provide medical consultation to the beneficiaries. Due to shortage of specialists in CGHS it is practically not feasible and financially viable to provide Specialist facilities in each CGHS Wellness Centre. Moreover, CGHS is also engaging contractual specialists against the vacant posts of specialists to provide the medical consultation services to its beneficiaries. 

CGHS has a dedicated wing of specialists at the Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi for its beneficiaries. The CGHS beneficiaries are also allowed to consult specialists at Dr. RML Hospital and other Government hospitals in NCR in respective specialties. In addition, CGHS has empanelled a large number of private hospitals to provide inpatient medical care to its beneficiaries on the advice of Government specialists. 

As per the Terms & Conditions for empanelment under CGHS, all empanelled private hospitals are required to provide credit facilities to the CGHS beneficiaries in case of emergency. Pensioners and other specified category of beneficiaries are entitled for credit facilities under normal circumstances also. Non-compliance of the said provision attracts penalty as per the Memorandum of Agreement signed by them. 

Decision on railwaymen’s indefinite strike on February 17

The national trade unions of railwaymen will decide on February 17 whether or not to go ahead with the proposed indefinite general strike to press for implementation of various long-standing demands.

Though railwaymen across the country had overwhelmingly voted in favour of a direct agitation during the ‘strike ballot’ held nationwide last month, the crucial decision on launching a general strike that could cripple railway operations is due to be taken at the meeting scheduled at Kota, Rajasthan, said N. Kanniah, general secretary of the Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU), which is affiliated to the All India Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF).

The AIRF and the National Federation of Indian Railwaymen are the two parent trade unions representing an estimated 1.3 million railwaymen. The charter of demands include scrapping of the new pension scheme, filling up of vacancies, better working conditions for loco running staff and constitution of the Seventh Pay Commission.

Though the Railway Board had offered to negotiate on Railway-specific demands at meetings held over January 16 and 17 in Delhi, the AIRF leadership has taken the view that some of the key demands such as merger of DA with basic pay and guaranteed pension scheme in place of new pension scheme, could only be resolved by Government of India, Mr. Kanniah said. The union leadership feels that the Railway Ministry needs to facilitate negotiations with the Centre in order to avert the strike, he said.

It may be recalled that during the strike ballot, over 96 per cent of railwaymen in the country voted in favour of an indefinite general strike.

In the six divisions across Southern Railway, 86.8 per cent of railwaymen endorsed the strike plan.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com