New Delhi: Union minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday said that the special incentives to central government employees posted in Kashmir valley will continue for a further period of three years.
He said the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) has already issued orders for the extension of these benefits.
Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, clarified this while talking to media here to allay the misgivings and misinformation in certain quarters that the DoPT was in the process of discontinuing the special incentives/concessions available to the central government employees working in Kashmir valley.
He 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.
Singh said the package of incentives is uniformly applicable to all the ministries/departments and public sector undertakings 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 percent of the last month’s basic pay, a statement issued by the personnel ministry said.
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 of Rs 113 per day for each day of attendance to compensate for any additional expenses in transportation from and to office, etc., which is at par with the reimbursement of travel charges for travel within the city in terms of the Department of Expenditure, the DoPT said.
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, the statement said.
As per the DoPT OM, the employees posted in Kashmir valley shall be allowed to draw house rent allowance (HRA), if department arrangement is not made for the stay, it said.
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 up to 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 statement said.
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, it said.
