Macroview

Relaxed LTC by Centre to increase staff inflow to NE

Joy Roy Choudhury - Kolkata

In a landmark development, the Union Government has relaxed its LTC (Leave Travel Concession) rules for central government employees to travel to the north eastern states of the country.

The move comes after the initiative taken by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the follow-up on the recommendation of the National Conclave to promote tourism in NER held in January this year. Mani Shankar Aiyar, union minister for DoNER, has asserted that relaxation of LTC rules by the government of India would lead to a surge of tourists to the NER. He organised a day-long national conclave on promoting the North East as a tourist destination to LTC travellers and was quoted saying that around 39.57 lakh domestic and 47,695 foreign tourists visited the region in 2006.

Since 2007, the central government has permitted its employees the use of private airlines, many of which offer low fares, while availing of LTC, with the provision that reimbursement would be restricted to the entitled class by train. A senior official of DoNER, when contacted by Express TravelWorld, remarked, "The ministry now exhorts the central government employees to take advantage of the relaxation and visit this beautiful region." He added, "The relaxation in rules is expected to increase the number of LTC travellers to the region."

As per the new guidelines issued by DoNER, all Group A and Group B central government employees will be entitled to travel by air from their place of posting or nearest airport to a city in the NER or nearest airport. Further, other categories of employees will be entitled to travel by air to a city in the NER from Guwahati or Kolkata.

Commenting on the development, a Kolkata-based tour operator organising jungle safaris to Assam said, "Now we can easily market our products to a large section of central government officials. This move will certainly help in tourism promotion in the NER." Amlan Baruah, trade advisor and director of movements, government of Assam, based in Kolkata, said, "The increase in inflows will not show this summer but we will certainly feel the impact during the Diwali vacations and in December-January."