The special incentives and concessions to Central government employees posted in Kashmir valley will continue and the Department of Personnel & Training has already issued orders for the extension of these benefits for a further period of three years. This was stated here today by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra singh in a media briefing to allay the misgivings and misinformation in certain quarters that the DoPT was in the process of discontinuing the special incentives and concessions available to the Central Government employees working in Kashmir valley.
Clarifying on the issue, the Minister said, an Office Memorandum (OM) to this effect was formally issued by the DoPT about two weeks back and the copy of the same was sent to all concerned. He said, the package of incentives is uniformly applicable to all the Ministries/Departments and PSUs under the Government of India and they have been instructed to ensure strict adherence to implement the same.
The concerned Ministries/departments may ensure implementation and monitoring of the package in conformity with the approved package, says the DoPT OM. The special incentives for the employees posted in Kashmir valley include that these employees have an option to move their families to a selected place of their choice in India at government expense and the Travelling Allowance for the family is allowed as admissible in permanent transfer inclusive of the Composite Transfer Grant at the rate of 80% of the last month’s basic pay. In case of those employees who do not wish to move their family to a selected place of residence, they will be paid an allowance a Rs.113 per day for each day of attendance to compensate for any additional expenses in transportation from to and fro office etc., which is at par with the reimbursement of travel charges for travel within the city in terms of the Department of Expenditure O.M. However, those employees who opt to move their families to a selected place of their choice in India will not be eligible for per diem allowance since they avail the benefit of Composite Transfer Grant at the rate of 80% of the last month’s pay.
As per the DoPT O.M., the employees posted in Kashmir valley shall be allowed to draw House Rent Allowance, if department arrangement is not made for the stay. In fact, these employees all will be eligible to draw additional HRA at the rate of Class “Y” city.
Giving out details, the Minister’s brief also specified that in case of employees posted in Kashmir valley on a temporary duty for a period upto six months, an incentives known as the Kashmir Valley Special Incentive will be paid at rates depending upon the level of Post along with food charges (as per 7th Pay commission norms), apart from departmental arrangement, for stay, security and transportation. The Messing Allowances for these employees are at par with the rates of Ration Money given to Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel at the rate of Rs.97.85/- per day.
The DoPT order also clearly provides provision for the pensioners who are unable to draw their monthly pension through either Public Sector Bank or Pay and Account Office or treasuries from which they were receiving their pension, are given pension outside the valley where they have settled, in relaxation of relevant provisions.
