LTC restored, Covid ‘warriors’ in Haryana to benefit

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 7

‘Covid warriors’ belonging to three departments— police, health and medical education—will be among the beneficiaries as the Khattar Government has restored leave travel concession (LTC) for a section of its employees.

“In order of incentivise ‘Covid warriors’ in this difficult time, LTC to the employees of the three departments will be allowed. However, the LTC would released from the 2021-22 Budget and no diversion will be allowed,” an order of the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) said.

The LTC, which was suspended for a year in April 2020 due to financial crunch in the wake of the Covid pandemic, will now be restored on “first come, first serve” basis. The state government employees and pensioners are entitled to one-month salary/ pension by way of LTC.

Pensioners above the age of 70 years will also be entitled to LTC this year. Besides, the employees, who retired in 2020 and applied for LTC but could not avail it, will be another beneficiary of the new order.

The employees, who are set to retire in 2021, will get LTC in the month of their retirement.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced moratorium on new recruitments and LTC for a year in April last year in the backdrop of the Covid crisis. Besides, following in the footsteps of the Centre, the state government had already announced freeze on DA hike.

However, the employees of the other departments and other categories of pensioners will be given LTC in the next two years—2022 and 2023.

Meanwhile, Subhash Lamba, president of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh (SKS), demanded immediate restoration of LTC, DA hike for all categories of employees and resumption of recruitments as those were announced only for one year by the state government.

The beneficiaries

• Police, health and medical education staff
• Pensioners above 70 years of age
• Government employees who retired in 2020
• Those retiring in 2021 will get the benefit in the month of their retirement
• Other employees to get LTC in 2022 and 2023