7th Pay Commission allowances for Central government employees in Kashmir to discontinue? Modi government responds

For the past few weeks, there have been rumours that the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions was in the process of discontinuing the special incentives/ concessions available to the Central Government employees working in Kashmir valley. The reports caused concerns among the employees and to allay the misgivings and misinformation, the Modi government has come out with a clarification.

"The special incentives/concessions to Central Government employees posted in Kashmir valley will continue and the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) has already issued orders for the extension of these benefits for a further period of three years," said Jitendra Singh, MoS  Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space as well as Minister Incharge DoPT.

He said, the package of incentives is uniformly applicable to all the Ministries/Departments and PSUs under the Government of India and they have been instructed to ensure strict adherence to implement the same.

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The special incentives for the employees posted in Kashmir valley include that these employees have an option to move their families to a selected place of their choice in India at government expense and the Travelling Allowance for the family is allowed as admissible in permanent transfer inclusive of the Composite Transfer Grant at the rate of 80% of the last month’s basic pay.

In case of those employees who do not wish to move their family to a selected place of residence, they will be paid an allowance a Rs 113 per day for each day of attendance to compensate for any additional expenses in transportation from to and fro office etc., which is at par with the reimbursement of travel charges for travel within the city.

The Central government employees posted in Kashmir valley are also allowed to draw House Rent Allowance at the rate of Class "Y" city, if department arrangement is not made for the stay.

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Singh said that if a central government employee is posted in Kashmir valley on temporary duty for a period of up to six months, he will be paid an incentive known as the Kashmir Valley Special Incentive at rates depending upon the level of Post along with food charges as per 7th Pay commission norms, apart from the departmental arrangement, for stay, security and transportation.

"The Messing Allowances for these employees are at par with the rates of Ration Money given to Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel at the rate of Rs 97.85 per day," said the DoPT.