Joint Circular- 2-2008-09 Date: 15th March 2009


To
National Executive Committee Members,
Spl. Invitees, Unit Secretaries,
Members of Women’s Committee, of Both Federations,

Protest the Clarification on TA/DA by Sending Telegrams on 20th March 2009.

Dear Comrades,
The 6th CPC in its recommendations on the subject of TA/DA observed, “These rates are grossly inadequate. Most of employees and their Service association have requested rationalisation of the present entitlements of Daily Allowance for stay in hotels. The Fifth CPC had also observed that considerable difficulties were being faced by officials in securing decent accommodation while on official tour and had recommended accommodation entitlements ranging from reimbursement of actual expenditure incurred towards normal single room rent in a hotel of a category not above 5 star in case of Top Executives and to any hotel up to a specified amount, for auxiliary staff while on official tour. These recommendations were not accepted. The situation today is, therefore, that the existing rates are totally unrealistic and Government employees, while on official tour, are unable to find any decent accommodation at the prevailing commercial rates. Accordingly, the rates of daily allowance have to be modified appropriately.” Whereas The Ministry of finance, Department of Expenditure clarified that the Rates of Daily Allowance on Tour may be regulated either in accordance with provisions of this Department OM Dated 23.09.08 or as per the old rates prevalent prior to the issue of said OM, whichever claimed by the employee. It further stressed that the option to claim will be available as a complete package for a particular tour and not be part of either orders. In other words, officers may choose to be governed either by orders dated 23.09.08 or 17.04.98 in regard to daily allowance on Tour.

By the above clarification, the Government of India has issued highly illogical clarification reversing the spirit of the recommendations of the VI CPC and its acceptance by the Government thus denying the benefit of 6 CPC recommendations on Daily allowance to its Employees/Officers while on official Tour if they are not in a position to produce the receipts for reimbursement.

In short the latest clarification by the Government of India on travelling allowance did not render justice to its employees and on the contrary, it simply brushed aside the spirit of 6CPC observations and has placed the Employees/Officers in the most disadvantageous position. Further the Clarification was so hallow on settlement of TA bills of its employees pertaining to the past periods. Due to this confused clarifications each employee/Officer will loose the reimbursement of expenditure incurred during official tour ranging from Rs.3000 to Rs.5000 per month in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department from September onwards.

The simple solution to the whole problem is to remove the word ‘reimbursement” from the Office Memorandum on Travelling Allowance Rules – Implementation of Sixth Central Pay Commission.

By this, the Government is refusing to accept certificates by the claimants resulting in need for impractical documentation and likely variations in procedures for settlements of TA and DA claims. According to GFRs even certificate of payments including self certification as a valid document for reimbursement of expenditure. The scheme of daily allowance has been turned into a quagmire from which the Audit Employees and Officers can not get out without personal loss every time they proceed on tour. The scheme of "reimbursement "is unworkable and would only result in personal loss to the employees and Officers who have to be on tour duty for prolonged periods and hence it is unacceptable.

The Government challenged its own employees and Officers that if they want to avail the modified rates then they have no other option but to produce food bill and vouchers for travel Charges. It demeaned our struggle for the past one decade to change our DA rates. Moreover it denied the pay commission recommendations in respect of DA/TA revision to its employees and Officers.

In order to ventilate our anger and anguish to the Department of Expenditure, Finance Ministry, Government Of India, and demand that the C&AG immediately permit reimbursement on self certification basis by the claimants and provide relief to the Employees and Officers of Indian Audit and Accounts Department the Federations call for observing a Protest Day on March 20th 2009 by sending telegrams by the individual members of the affiliated units.


Draft Telegram

TO

ARGEL,
New Delhi

“The members are finding it too difficult to obtain receipts for food and transport expenses while on tour duty. Pray immediate intervention in the matter to accept self certified statements for regulating claims”.

Name of the Member,
Name of the Association,
Address of the Association.