Central Government Employee? Only few days left for you to complete that LTC journey

Only a few days are left for Central Government Employees to complete the LTC journey, which they could not do last year due to lockdown and their refund amount was kept in ‘Çredit Shell’ by the airlines.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) clarified in an Office Memorandum dated 05-02-2021 that in the above cae, the last date to complete the LTC journey is 28-02-2021 and such LTC would be counted for the block year applied for. This would also apply to fresh recruits who are eligible to claim LTC every year in the initial block of eight years.

Due to the lockdown last year, many Central Government Employees were not able to complete the journey to claim the LTC benefit. Many of them were even not issued refunds as the airlines kept the amount with them, allowing the employees to complete their journey within a year.

“…it is clarified that the employees who were eligible to perform LTC journey in 2020 as per LTC Rules, but could not perform the LTC journey during the lockdown period (March-May, 2020) and whose refund amount has been kept in ‘Credit Shell’ by the airlines, are allowed to perform their LTC journey till 28.02.202 1, and such LTC shall be counted against the block year applied for. This shall also apply in cases of fresh recruits who are entitled to LTC every year for the initial block of eight years,” the DoPT said.

In a previous O.M. dated 7th January 2021, the DoPT had said, “In cases where the airlines have kept the refund amount in ‘Credit Shell’, Ministries /Departments may extend the period of repayment of LTC advance taken by the Government servant for LTC journey scheduled during the lockdown period (March-May,202 0), till 28.02.2021 or till such time the amount in ‘Credit Shell’ is utilised by the Government servant to perform LTC journey, whichever is earlier.”