AIR TRAVEL: Centre extends LTC relaxation norm for North-East for 2 years

Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh is not far from India-China border

THE Central government employees wishing to venture out to India’s North-East, have reasons to cheer. The government on Monday extended its earlier order of relaxation of LTC rules so that the employees could continue to travel by air to North-Eastern Region and avail their Leave Travel Concession. According to a DoPT office memorandum dated April 30, 2012, the extension is for
two years beginning May 1. The special concession for the North-East was first spelt out in May 2008, and it was extended again in 2010.
North Eastern states compete with each other through innovative tourism campaigns to woo domestic and international tourists. The governments of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim have always initiated major campaigns to woo tourists whereas Assam of late has joined the bandwagon by launching a rhino-man campaign.
In fact, 3.5 million strong Central government employees constitute a major target group. The Group A and Group B Central government employees are entitled to travel by air from their place of posting or nearest airport to a city in North-Eastern region or nearest airport. And employees other than the officers are entitled to travel by air to a city in the North-East from Guwahati or Kolkata, according to the relaxation of CCS (LTC) Rules, 1988. The employees are further encouraged to travel to the North-East as all Central government employees are allowed conversion of one block of home town LTC into LTC for destinations in North Eastern Region.
North Eastern region is one of the most beautiful parts of India. With blue and hills and red rivers, it is a tourist’s paradise.