The Centre has granted lakhs of its employees travel via Tejas, Vande Bharat, and Humsafar trains under the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) scheme. This decision follows a directive from the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) and recommendations from various offices advocating for the inclusion of premium train services under the LTC scheme.
“The matter has been examined by this department in consultation with the Department of Expenditure and it has been decided that apart from existing Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto trains, travel by Tejas Express, Vande Bharat Express and Humsafar Express trains under LTC as per the entitlement of the government employees has now been allowed,” said the order issued by the DoPT on Tuesday.
How to Avail the Benefit of LTC
Availing the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) offers eligible central government employees reimbursement for travel costs in addition to paid leave. This means that under the LTC scheme, the government grants employees leave and reimburses a portion of their travel expenses. Employees can utilise this scheme to travel to any part of the country within a four-year block. The LTC scheme aims to encourage employees to take holidays and spend quality time with their families.
Discount on air travel too
The government’s exemption under the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) scheme is not limited to train travel. The new rules also extend this exemption to air travel. According to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), employees travelling to the North-Eastern states, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands until September 25, 2026 can avail themselves of this exemption. However, it is important to note that the exemption for air travel is available only to employees already eligible for air travel as per their entitlement.
