Governmentemployees (please do not call them ‘government servants’, else even the UPSCofficers and politicians would come under this category) are entitled to leavetravel/fare concessions (LTC/LFC). LTC can be availed in a block of four yearsand entails fare reimbursements to the employee and his/her family. Dependingon the eligibility an employee can travel by train or Air India flights to anyplace in India once in four years or twice to his/her hometown. The financeminister recently announced that the LTC amount for this block year would bepaid to the employees but there are three caveats. Either the employeeundertakes the travel or pays 30 percent tax and retains the balance or buysgoods (high-end products like car, mobile, computer, etc) which need to beworth two times the LTC amount and documentary evidence needs to be produced bythe employee. During the ongoing pandemic no one, in their right mind, wouldfor the sake of a few days of vacation like to put themselves and theirfamilies to risk. Again, in these days of job loss, inflation, uncertainties,etc who can afford to spend two times the LTC amount and buy goods (some mayturn out to be white elephants)? Considering the near-empty coffers of thegovernment, the FM could cancel this year’s LTC block year and pay 50 percentof the amount to all.
