7th Pay Commission Travelling Allowance – How it is better than travel allowance prior to Revision?
7th Pay Commission Travelling Allowance and Daily Allowance – How it is better than previous allowances for travel by Central Government Employees on official tour ?
Travelling Allowance and Daily Allowance are paid for Central Government Employees to meet out their expenses for Travel, Stay and Food when they perform their official duty outside their place of posting
Until now 6th CPC Travelling Allowances entitlement allowed only employees in the Grade pay of Rs. 5400 and above (Equivalent to Pay level 9 and above) to travel by Air. However, on implementation of 7th Pay Commission Travel allowance with effect from 1st July 2017, Central Government Employees who are in the pay level of 6 and above (equivalent to grade pay of Rs. 4200 and above) are entitled to travel by Air.
However, reimbursement for travel by air from Level 6 is allowed only for official tour and training. While availing Leave Travel Concession, Central Government Employees will be entitled to travel by air only when they are drawing pay from Level 9.
Also Central Government Employees in pay level 5 and below will be entitled to travel by First Class / AC-III / AC Chair Car by Train
| Pay Level in Pay Matrix | Travel entitlement |
| 14 and above | Business/Club class by aft or AC-I by train |
| 12 and 13 | Economy class by air or AC-I by train |
| 6 to 11 | Economy class by air or AC-II by train |
| 5 and below | First Class/AC-III/AC Chair car by train |
Another important improvement in Travelling Allowance after implementation of 7th Pay Commission report is Govt’s decision to allow Government officials to travel by Premium Trains, Suvidha Trains, and reimbursement to Premium Tatkal Charges / Dynamic / Flexi-fare.
| Pay Level in Pay Matrix | Travel entitlement in Premium/Premium Tatkal/ Suvidha/ Shatabdi /Rajdhani / Duronto Trains |
| 12 and above | Executive / AC 1st Class (In case of Premium / Premium Tatkal / Suvidha/ Shatabdi/ Rajdhani Trains as per available highest class) |
| 6 to 11 | AC 2nd Class/Chair Car (In Shatabdi Trains) |
| 5 & below | AC 3rd Class/Chair Car |
Reimbursement for Staying Expenses, Food Expenses and local Travel Expenses have also been increased substantially. Up to pay level 8, Employees can claim for reimbursement of Travel and Stay Expenses on the basis of Self Certification.
There will be no separate reimbursement of food bills. Instead, the lump sum amount payable will be as per pay level and, depending on the length of absence from headquarters. No vouchers will be required to get the reimbursement for Food Expenses.
Further, Daily Allowance payable as lump sum amount will increase by 25 percent whenever DA increase by 50 percent.
Also Checkout all the OMs and instructions issued on Travelling Allowance from Time to time.