n Keeping in mind the hardship of the employees due to the Covid pandemic and lockdown, the Delhi Government has decided to give a mega festive package for the Delhi Government employees in a bid to boost the consumption expenditure.
The Finance Minister of the Delhi Manish Sisodia on Thursday announced a special cash package in lieu of Leave Travel Concession Fare (LTC) for the Delhi Government employees during the block 2018-21.
"The Delhi Government has always been very sincere and empathetic towards its employees. In the time of the Covid-19 pandemic the employees of the Delhi Government have showcased extraordinary work and have shown great courage to work from the frontline," he said.
Keeping in mind the service and the efforts of its employees the Delhi government has decided to come up with these incentives, he said, adding that the government is very hopeful that through these steps it will bring some ease to lives of the employees and they will be able to happily celebrate the upcoming festival with their family.
In the view of Coronavirus pandemic and nationwide lockdown which has created a disruption of transport and hospitality sector, the Delhi government has observed that a number of its employees are not in a position to avail the leave travel concession fare for travel to any place in India or their hometowns in the current block of 2018–21, he added.
With a view to compensate and incentivise consumption by the Delhi government employees thereby giving a boost to consumption expenditure, the government has decided that cash equivalent of LTC will be given to its employees by way of reimbursement if an employee opts for this in due of 1LTC in the block of 2018–21.
The Delhi government has also decided that the employees who are entitled to business class airfare will get Rs 36,000 LTC followed by Rs 20,000 for the employees who are entitled to an economy class of airfare. Lastly, the employees who are entitled to rail fare of any class will get Rs 6,000 LTC.
On the other hand with a view to enabling government servants to meet expenses relating to festivals and to encourage spending thereby giving a boost to economic activities, in pursuance of the decision taken by the government it has been decided that a special festival package of advance will be accorded to all the Delhi government employees for any important festivals up to March 31, 2021, he said.
Under this initiative, the amount of the package is Rs.10,000 and it would be interest-free. This amount will be paid as advance to the government employees. Earlier this provision was only there for the non-gazetted employees now it would be applicable to both gazetted and non-gazetted employees, he added.
The Finance Minister further said that from day one of the pandemic, the Delhi Government employees have stayed at the frontline and worked for the people of Delhi.