4730-F: West Bengal Implements Revised Travelling Allowance Rules Under 4th Pay Commission

GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL

Finance Department

Audit Branch

MEMORANDUM

No. 4730-F Dated: 25.05.1999

Subject: Travelling Allowance Rules—Implementation of the recommendations of the Fourth Pay Commission.

ANNEXURE TO FINANCE DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM NO. 4730-F, DATED 25TH MAY, 1999

1.1 Revised classification of the Government employees in pay ranges:

A. In supersession of rule 22 of the West Bengal Service Rules, Part II and Finance Department Memo No. 5299-F, dt. 1.6.90, for the purpose of travelling allowance Government employees will henceforth be grouped into the following number of pay ranges:

B. The members/incumbents of the following services/posts shall be deemed to belong to such Group in terms of pay range as mentioned hereunder irrespective of the pay/consolidated pay drawn by them:

1. The members of Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, Indian Forest Service will be included in Group No. II in terms of pay range irrespective of the pay drawn by them unless they are already included in Group No. I on the basis of their pay.
2. Confidential Assistants to the Chief Minister, Ministers and Minister of State, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister will be included in Group No. II except for the purpose of daily allowance, which will be regulated by separate order.
3. The Jamadars of the Eastern Frontier Rifles will be included in Group No. III.
4. The Motor Drivers (Special Cadre) exclusively for the Ministers and the Attendants to the Ministers, the Ministers of State or the Deputy Ministers will be treated as belonging to Group No. V.

1.2 Travelling allowance for undertaking journeys in higher class of accommodation:

A Government employee performing a journey for which travelling allowance is admissible is required to travel by the class of accommodation to which his pay range entitles him. However, if a Government employee travels in a higher class of accommodation by air, rail, ship, bus etc. than one by which he is required to travel under the rules, the reimbursement shall be limited to the fare of the entitled class of accommodation only.

2. Accommodation Entitlements for Journeys on Tour:

A. Mileage Allowance for journeys by Air:

(a) In partial modification of the provisions of rule 53A of the West Bengal Service Rules, Part II and in supersession of Finance Department Memo No. 5299-F, dt. 1.6.90 and the orders subsequently issued from time to time in this connection:

• For travel by air within the country officers drawing pay of Rs. 16,400 and above, may in the exigency of public service travel by air on tour at their discretion. Such officers in receipt of pay between Rs. 12,300 and Rs. 16,400 may also be permitted to travel by air on tour at their discretion provided that distance involved is more than 500 kms. and the journey cannot be performed overnight by direct train service/direct sleeper-coach service.
• State Service Officers drawing pay of Rs. 10,000 and above, and All India Service Officers irrespective of the amount of pay drawn by them may be permitted to travel by air from districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Dinajpur to Calcutta and back subject to the existing terms and conditions. Such officers posted in Calcutta may also perform journey by air to the aforesaid North Bengal districts with the approval of the Departmental Secretaries.

(b) Class of accommodation for the purpose of air travel will be as follows:

1. Government employees who will be authorised to travel by air within India, will be entitled to travel by Economy (Tourist) Class. None will be allowed to undertake journey by a higher class than the lowest class of accommodation available on the Indian Airlines.
2. In the case of international travel, the Ministers and Officers of and above the rank of Secretary will be entitled to travel by Business Class or Club Class. All other Officers who will be authorised to travel by air abroad will have to travel by Economy Class.

(c) The Officers who are entitled to perform journey by air or specially permitted by the Government to travel by air may, if necessary, undertake journey by air-service offered by the Private Airlines provided the lowest class of accommodation is availed of in such cases of air-travel.

B. Entitlement to rail accommodation and mileage allowance:

In partial modification of rules 37 and 37A of the West Bengal Service Rules, Part II and in supersession of Finance Department Memo No. 5299-F, dt. 1.6.90, the pay ranges and the travel entitlements for journeys by rail on tour and transfer shall be as follows:

Note: All Government employees who are entitled to travel on tour/transfer by First Class/A.C. II-Class 3-Tier Sleeper/A.C. Chair Car may, at their discretion travel by A.C. II-Class 2-Tier Sleeper where any of the direct trains connecting the originating and destination stations by the direct shortest route do not provide these three Classes of accommodation.

C. Mileage allowance for travel by Sea or by River in a Steamer:

(a) The general entitlements for journeys by Sea or by River in a steamer under rule 41 of the West Bengal Service Rules, Part II are revised as indicated below:

(b) In modification of the 'State Government decision' below rule 41 of the West Bengal Service Rules, Part II, the entitlement for travel between mainland and Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Group of Islands by Ships operated by the Shipping Corporation of India Limited will be as follows:

(c) For journeys on official tours the Ministers and the officers drawing pay of Rs. 16,400 and above will be entitled to travel by the Business Class in the Catamaran "Silverjet", linking Calcutta with Haldia.

D. Mileage allowance for journey by Road:

In modification of rule 47 of the West Bengal Service Rules, Part II and in suppression of Finance Department Memo No. 5299-F, dt. 1.6.90, for journey by road on tour allowance for distance travelled will be calculated at the following revised rates:

Notes:

1. Tanga, cycle-rickshaw and man-driven rickshaws will be equated to journey by scooter/motor cycle (Rs. 2/- per km).
2. Officers belonging to the categories at III and IV above will not be eligible for travel by taxi/own car or taking a single seat in a taxi. If they travel by taxi for whatever reason, the mileage will be limited to Rs. 2/- per km. or actual expenses incurred whichever is less.
3. Special types of bus fare may also be allowed to the Officers belonging to category IV above in exigencies of public service subject to existing terms and conditions on the basis of certificate of Controlling Officer.
4. Subject to existing conditions in Note 2 below rule 88 of WBSR Part II for hiring taxis for official use within 8 km. of headquarters, the existing ceiling of total taxi hire or conveyance hire in any one month will be Rs. 100/- in respect of a Government employee.
5. Subject to existing conditions in Note 3 below rule 88 of WBSR Part II, for official journeys on tour from residence or office to Airport/Railway Station/Bus Stand and vice-versa, actual taxi hire charges may be reimbursed to officers belonging to the pay range Rs. 8,000/- and above, without having any existing maximum ceiling.

3. Daily Allowance:

I. Subject to the existing provisions in rule 57 of the West Bengal Service Rules, Part II and in supersession of Finance Department Memo No. 5299-F, dated 1.6.90, the rates of daily allowance are revised as follows:

(A) When the Government employee stays in Government/Public Sector Guest Houses, Dak Bungalows or makes his own arrangements:

(B) When the Government employee stays in a hotel or other establishment providing board and/or lodging at Scheduled Tariffs:

Notes:

1. For daily allowance, journey to Salt Lake Notified Area is treated as journey within peripheral areas of Calcutta Municipal Corporation. Special rates admissible to officers whose headquarters are outside CMC will also be admissible for journeys to Salt Lake.
2. For journeys to offices located in Calcutta in connection with official duties from places like Salt Lake, Dum Dum, Baranagore, Howrah Sadar etc. and vice-versa, no daily allowance will be admissible. Employees recover actual expenses under rule 88 irrespective of distance travelled.

II. Daily allowance for continuous halts & Training in India:

In modification of rule 73 of the West Bengal Service Rules, Part II, the admissibility of daily allowance at a place outside Government employees' headquarters for continuous halts will be as follows:

• First 60 days: Full daily allowance;
• Beyond 60 days and up to 180 days: Half daily allowance;
• Beyond 180 days: Nil.

III. T.A. entitlement for Training in India (Rule 73A):

(i) Deputed for training outside headquarters (board and lodging NOT provided):

• First 180 days: Full daily allowance;
• Beyond 180 days: Nil.

Where board and lodging facility exists:

• First 30 days: Full daily allowance;
• Next 150 days: Half daily allowances.

(ii) Residential training programmes compulsory at fixed rates:

• Outstation participants: Actual expenditure on board and lodging plus daily allowance at 25% of the rate admissible for the place of halt.
• Local participants: Actual expenditure on board and lodging only.

4. Payment of Incidental charges abolished: The existing system of paying incidental charges to cover on the way expenses for journey by rail, steamer, road or by air under rules 37A, 38, 42, 49 and 54 of the West Bengal Service Rules, Part II is hereby abolished. A Government employee on tour will draw actual fare plus daily allowance for the entire absence from headquarters.

5. Local journey redefined (Rule 71B): Journey beyond 8 kms. from the permanent duty point at headquarters but within a radius of 20 kms. thereof. Mileage allowance is admissible, and in addition 50% daily allowance if absence exceeds 6 hours (calculated at 35% and 50% respectively under rule 71A). No TA/DA admissible for local journey beyond 60 days.

6. Journey by Government vehicles: Government vehicles should not be used between places connected by Railway except with prior approval of Controlling Officer.

7. Entitlements for journey on Transfer:

In supersession of Finance Department Memo No. 5299-F, dt. 1.6.90, a Government employee on transfer will be entitled to the following concessions:

A. Transfer grant and packing allowance:

Notes:

1. Packing allowance is in the nature of lump sum transfer grant sanctioned at flat rate without insisting on receipts.
2. Admissible if any quantum of luggage is carried, even if transportation charges are not claimed.
3. Admissible even if family is not shifted but personal effects are shifted.
4. Full amount admissible only when change of residence is involved and transfer involves station located more than 20 km away.
5. For transfer within same station or less than 20 km involving change of residence, restricted to one-third of admissible amount.

B. Accommodation & Mileage for journeys by road on transfer (Family scale):

• For self: One road mileage.
• For one additional member of family: Nil.
• For two additional members of family: One additional road mileage.
• For more than two additional members: Two additional road mileages.
• For journey by bus: Actual bus fare for self and each member of family.

C. Carriage of personal effects on transfer:

(a) By Rail:

(b) By Road between places not connected by rail:

D. Transportation of Conveyance on transfer:

Scale:

• Rs. 6,500 and above: One motor car, or one motor cycle/scooter or one horse.
• Less than Rs. 6,500: One motor cycle/scooter, or one bi-cycle.

Rates for transportation of motor car/motor cycle by road:

• When sent under own propulsion: Motor Car: Rs. 5/- per km (limited to expenditure by passenger train on rail); Motor cycle/scooter: Rs. 2/- per km.
• When loaded on a truck: Actual expenses limited to the amount calculated at Rs. 5/- per km for car or Rs. 2/- per km for scooter, or expenditure on rail transport, whichever is less.

8. Travelling Allowance for Temporary Transfer: In transfers not exceeding 180 days, journeys are treated as on tour for regulating TA/DA (under para 3(II)). No advance of pay or joining time admissible.

9. Travelling Allowance entitlements on retirement:

Under rule 132 of WBSR Part II, travelling allowance is admissible for journey of a retiring employee and family from the last duty station to home town or permanent settlement place:

• Entitled to accommodation, mileage, lump sum transfer grant, packing allowance, personal effects carriage and conveyance transport at transfer rates.
• Time limit: Family members may precede by not more than 1 month or follow within 6 months from date employee actually moves.
• Concession admissible to permanent employees retiring on superannuation, invalid, compensation or retiring pension, and temporary employees with not less than 10 years service.
• Not admissible to employees who resign, or are dismissed/removed/compulsorily retired as punishment.

10. Definition of Family:

In supersession of rule 4(7) of the West Bengal Service Rules, Part II, the term 'Family' is defined as follows:

"Family means a Government employee's wife (but not more than one wife) or husband, as the case may be, residing with the Government employee and legitimate children and stepchildren residing with and wholly dependent on the Government employee. It also includes parent, stepmother, sisters and minor brothers residing with and wholly dependent on the Government employee."

Dependency criteria: Income from all sources including pension (inclusive of dearness relief) does not exceed Rs. 1,500/- p.m.

11. Conveyance Allowance to Blind and Orthopedically handicapped employees:

In partial modification of rule 29A of WBSR Part II and Memo No. 5299-F dt. 1.6.90, conveyance allowance admissible to blind and orthopedically handicapped State Government employees shall be 5% of basic pay subject to a maximum of Rs. 200/- p.m.

12. Permanent monthly Travelling Allowance / Conveyance Allowance:

Uniform rates according to pay ranges:

Fixed Conveyance Allowance (Appendix 5, Rule 29 WBSR Part II):

• a. For horse or pony: Rs. 150/- p.m.
• b. For a motor car: Rs. 450/- p.m. (Note: No motor car allowance admissible to employees drawing pay of Rs. 10,000/- or less a month).
• c. For a motor cycle: Rs. 125/- p.m.
• d. For a bi-cycle or tri-cycle: Rs. 25/- p.m.