What is Leave Travel Concession (LTC)?
According to an ET report, the latest Office Memorandum from April 30, 2024, defines the Leave Travel Concession as a travel benefit that allows government employees to visit their hometown or any place in India during a four-year period. Employees have two options: they can either visit their hometown twice in a four-year block, with each visit spread over two years, or visit their hometown once in the first two years and any other place in India once during the next two years.
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Who is eligible for LTC?
According to the Office Memorandum, the LTC rules apply to the following groups:
1. People working in civil service positions, including civilian government employees in Defence Services related to the Union’s operations.
2. State government employees who are on deputation to the Central Government.
3. Those employed on a contract basis.
4. Individuals who have been re-employed after retirement.
Who is not eligible for LTC?
The following categories of people are not eligible for LTC:
a) Government servants who are not full-time employees.
b) People in casual or daily-wage jobs.
c) Individuals paid from contingency funds.
d) Railway employees*
e) Members of the Armed Forces.
f) Local recruits in Indian missions abroad.
g) Anyone already eligible for other types of travel concessions during leave or otherwise.
However, Railway employees may be allowed to use “All India LTC” once in a block of four years under specific conditions.
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Special provisions for specific employee categories
Special provisions in Rule 2 of the LTC guidelines outline the following:
1. Eligibility for certain employees
Employees in groups (ii), (iii), and (iv) from Rule 1(3) must have one year of continuous service to be eligible for LTC. The relevant authority must also confirm that the employee will likely continue working with the Central Government for at least two more years to qualify for hometown LTC, and at least four more years for LTC to any place in India.
2. Contract-based employees
For contract-based employees, the total duration of their contract, including any extensions, will determine their eligibility for LTC.
3. Re-employed retirees
If someone is re-employed immediately after retirement without a break, their re-employed period is considered continuous with their previous service. They can use LTC for the re-employment period, but only if they could have used it before retirement. For example, if an officer used LTC to visit any place in India during a four-year block and is re-employed right after retirement, they can’t use that same LTC benefit until the four-year block ends.
