Haryana to give LTC facility to pensioners

By Haryananewswire
Chandigarh, November 3
The Haryana Government has decided to introduce a new scheme of Leave Travel Concession (LTC) for the pensioners of the State Government on the pattern of the scheme implemented for the State Government employees.
As per notification to this effect issued by the State Government, the pensioners shall be entitled to draw the ‘one month’s pension’ as lump sum assistance once in the block of four years as declared by the Government of Haryana as the block regulating the LTC.
The current block as declared by the Government of Haryana happens to be 2008-2011 (1.1.2008 to 31.12.2011) and the subsequent blocks shall be 2012-2015; 2016-2019; 2020-2023; and so on.
Provided that the pensioner, who has retired during the current block of four years (2008-2011) and has availed the benefit of LTC before their retirement in this block under the scheme of leave travel concession available to the State Government employees, shall not be entitled to the benefit of this scheme for the balance period of the current block.
This scheme shall be applicable to all pensioners who are drawing their pension under the Punjab Civil Services, Rules, Vol. II as amended from time to time and as applicable to the pensioners under the rules making powers of Haryana Government and whose pension is debitable to the Consolidated Fund of the State of Haryana.
"Pension" means the entitlement of basic pension inclusive of commuted pension and the dearness allowance admissible thereon being drawn under the Punjab Civil Services Rules, Vol. II as amended from time to time and as applicable to the pensioners of Haryana Government.
LTC being a family allowance, when both the spouses are pensioners or one of the spouse is working in organisation offering the facility of LTC, only one of the spouses shall be entitled to draw the benefit of LTC.
Accordingly before the claim to draw the ‘entitled amount’ in terms of this instruction is made, the concerned pensioner, claiming the benefit under the scheme, shall submit an undertaking that his/her entitled family members, including the spouse, when is the pensioner or in service of Government of Haryana, shall not avail the benefit promised by the scheme separately or when in employment under the Central Government or any other State Government or under any other organisation/institution/body, etc, wholly or substantially owned or controlled by the Central Government or any State Government shall not avail of the facilities of LTC from their employer in whatever form it is extended to him/her by their respective employer.
Such an undertaking must be countersigned by the spouse of the concerned pensioner. Alternatively, the concerned pensioner shall submit an undertaking that the provisions of this para is not attracted in his/her case as none of his/her entitled family members, including the spouse, is either pensioner or in service of Government of Haryana or in service under the Central Government or any other State Government or under any other organisation/institution/body, etc, wholly or substantially owned or controlled by the Central Government or any State Government.
The authority competent to authorise disbursal of pension to the concerned pensioner shall also be competent to disburse the ‘entitled amount’ in his/her case.
The one month’s pension to the pensioners of age group of 90 years and above shall be disbursed alongwith the regular pension for the month of January in the first year of the block of four years, the one month’s pension to the pensioners of age group of 80 years and below 90 years shall be disbursed alongwith the regular pension for the month of January in the second year of the block of four years, the one month’s pension to the pensioners of age group of 70 years and below 80 years shall be disbursed alongwith the regular pension for the month of January in the third year of the block of four years and the one month’s pension to the pensioners of age group of below 70 years shall be disbursed alongwith the regular pension for the month of January in the fourth year of the block of four years.
During the current block of four years 2008-2011 (1.1.2008 to 31.12.2011), the one month’s pension to the pensioners of age group of 80 years and above shall be disbursed in the current year ending on 31.12.2009. For the pensioners above 70 years and below 80 years, they would be disbursed the travel allowance alongwith the pension for the month of January, 2010 and for the pensioners below 70 years, the travel allowance would be paid alongwith their pension for the month of January,2011.
This being an allowance, no arrears would be admissible even when the pension is revised from a retrospective date.