Panjab University’s BoF approves employees’ travel by private airlines

Earlier, officials were only allowed to book Air India flights in order to avail reimbursements from the university, However, now any economy seat in private airlines can be booked.

Panjab University, ltc, Leave Travel Concession, punjab, chandigarh, indian express

Apart from relaxing conditions on airline travel for employees, the BoF took a controversial decision to stop secretariat pay for university employees. (File Photo)

In the Board of Finance (BoF) meeting held at Panjab University on Tuesday, the varsity approved the recommendations by the committee and allowed the employees to use private airlines for official visits and for availing Leave Travel Concession (LTC). Earlier, officials were only allowed to book Air India flights in order to avail reimbursements from the university, However, now any economy seat in private airlines can be booked.

Although, in cases where travel expenditure will be reimbursed from the central government funds, the employees will have to book Air India tickets. Furthermore, in case of booking tickets in private airlines, the university employees will need to book it through the website or booking counter of the concerned airlines, or through government-approved agencies.

Apart from relaxing conditions on airline travel for employees, the BoF took a controversial decision to stop secretariat pay for university employees, in light of orders received from the Punjab government through a letter. The secretariat pay, which the university’s non-teaching employees have been receiving since the 1970s, will affect more than 3,000 employees of the university.

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Members of the Board said that they were compelled to dismiss the pay following the Punjab government’s order, however, after rigorous discussion, it was decided that the university will ask the Punjab government to reconsider its decision.

The board also approved a budget of Rs 8,40,200 for the construction of washrooms in the staff room and language laboratory of the department of English and Cultural Studies and a budget of Rs 7,78,400 for provision of toilets with wards in the Department of Oral Surgery of the Dental Since Institute in PU South Campus. The BoF also approved a budget for building block number 2 of the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET).

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