Delhi: In some good news just few days ahead of the New Year, the Central Government has given a major relief to the government employees. The Department of Expenditure (DoE) of the Finance Ministry has released an order informing details about the decision to relax traveling allowance rules as part of the 7th Pay Commission announcement.

As per details, central government employees in the Pay Level 9 to 11 matrix will no longer have to furnish self-certification with details such as travel dates and vehicle number to claim travel allowance.

“Several references have been received in this Department regarding difficulties being faced by the officials in Pay Level 9 to 11 for production of receipts/vouchers while claiming reimbursement of Travelling Charges for travel within the city admissible under Daily Allowance on Tour as per Para 2E(i) of Annexure to this Department’s OM dated 13.07.2017. The matter has been considered in this Department and it has been decided that for reimbursement of Travelling Charges admissible under Daily Allowance on tour as mentioned in Para 2E(i) of OM dated 13.07.2017, condition of production of receipts/vouchers for officials in Pay Level 9 to 11, is done away with subject to furnishing of self-certification in which officials have to indicate the period of travel, vehicle Number etc (sic),” the order from the Centre stated.

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Travel Allowance Reimbursement Made Easy

With the new order, the reimbursement of the traveling allowance within the city has been made easy for officers of Level 9 and above. As earlier, the central government employees used to produce vouchers for reimbursement for travel. Under ‘Travelling Allowance Rules — Implementation of 7th CPC’, the Centre had earlier prescribed reimbursement for traveling charges for travel within the city.

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The new old order had asked the government employees in Level 8 and below to claim reimbursement of traveling charges without producing any vouchers against self-certification.

The order from the DoE came after it received a lot of complaints about the employees facing difficulties over submitting receipts and vouchers.

DA Likely To Increase By June Next Year

It is also expected that the Union Government may announce to hike the Dearness Allowance by June of the coming year after giving relaxations in the travel allowance.

DA is increased twice a year and is given by the government to the employees so that they may not get hit by inflation and maintain a good standard of living.