Regarding Booking of Air Tickets on Government account -Railways

Modification of instructions regarding Booking of Air Tickets on Government account

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (भारत सरकार)
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (रेल मंत्रालय)
RAILWAY BOARD (रेलवे बोर्ड)

R.B. No. 06

No. F(E)I/2022/AL-28/1

New Delhi, dated: 11.01.2022

General Manager(P)
All Indian Railways, PUs etc.
(As per standard mailing list)

Sub: Modification of instructions regarding Booking of Air Tickets on Government account.

In terms of earlier orders of Ministry of Finance / Department of Expenditure, in all cases of air travel where the Government of India bear the cost of air passage, the officials concerned were to travel by. Air India only and air tickets were to be purchased directly from Air India or by utilizing the services of the three Authorized Travel Agents viz. M/S Balmer Lawrie& Company Limited (BLCL), M/S Ashok Travels & Tours (ATT) and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. IRCTC). These instructions were circulated to all Indian Railways / PUs from time to time.

2. Now in view of the decision of the Government for disinvestment of Air India, Ministry of Finance / Department of Expenditure vide their O.M. No. 19024/03/2021 -E.IV, dated 31.12.2021 has modified the instructions regarding Booking of Air Tickets on Government account. MoF’s modified instructions are adopted and circulated to all Indian Railways / PUs.
3. In all cases of air travel where the Government of India bears the- cost of air passage, air tickets shall be purchased from the three Authorized Travel Agents only viz.

i. M/S Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited (BLCL),
ii. M/S Ashok Travels & Tours (ATT)
iii. Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd, (IRCTC)

4. The travel agents are expected to provide to the Railway employees the ‘Best available fare’ on the date of booking on the basis of tour programme as per their entitlement.
5. The choice of the travel agent for booking of ticket from those in Para-3 is left open to the Railways/PUs. Tickets may be arranged by the office or may be booked by the employee himself. No agency charges will be paid to booking agency i.e. any of the three Authorized Travel Agents viz. M/S Balmer Lawrie & Company Limited, M/S Ashok Travels & Tours and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd.
6. All Mileage Points earned by Government employees on tickets purchased for official travel shall continue to be utilized by the concerned Railways/PU for other official travel by their officers, Any usage of these mileage points for purpose of private travel by an officer will attract Departmental action. This is to ensure that the benefits out of official travel which is funded by the Government should accrue to the Government. The travel agents shall inform about accrued mileage points to the concerned Railways / PU on quarterly basis.
7. In case of unavoidable circumstances, where the booking of ticket is done from unauthorized travel agent/website, (i) J S/Railway Board in cases of Railway Board & (ii) HoD not below the if rank of Joint Secretary in Zonal Railways/PUs are authorized to grant relaxation with Finance concurrence.
8. To ensure timely payment of air ticket to the travel agents, to confirm the performance of journey, the employee has to submit a certificate/undertaking in prescribed proforma (enclosed as Annexure) within 07 days of completion of journey. TA bill may be submitted later as per the existing rules.
9. All Railways/PUs are directed to ensure strict compliance of the order and to widely circulate this letter in all offices including attached/ subordinate offices/ autonomous bodies under their control.
10. The instructions regarding Air Travel entitlement of Railway employees as issued under Board’s letters No. F(E)I/2017/AL-28/41, dated 24.08.2017, 25.09.2017, 24.04.2018, 08.05.2018 & 10.05.2018 and as consolidated vide Board’s letter No. F(E)1/2021/AL-28/47, dated 13.08.2021 shall continue to be in force.
11. These orders shall be effective from 01.01.2022.
12. This issues with the approval of Board (MF, CRB & CEO) in supersession to all earlier orders on the subject.

(Jitendra Kumar)
Dy, Director Finance Estt.I
Railway Board

Self-declaration Certificate for Completion of Journey

(Annexure to Board’s letter No F(E)I/2022/AL-28/1)

1.I …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. (Name of the employee) hereby declare and certify that:

2. I have actually performed the onward Journey from …….. …….. …….. …….. to …….. …….. …….. …….. (date) and return journey from …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. to …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. on …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. for the purpose of Tour/Training. OR

3. I/We have actually. performed the onward journey from …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. to …….. …….. …….. …….. on …….. …….. …….. …….. (date) and return journey from …….. …….. …….. to …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. on …….. …….. …….. …….. for the purpose of Transfer/LTC/Retirement. The particulars of the self and family members who have performed journey either with the Government servant or separately are as under:-

4. In case the above declaration given by me is not found true at any stage, I shall be liable to disciplinary action under Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, as amended from time to time.

(Signature)

Name of the Government …… ………. ………. ………

Designation …… ………. ………. ………

Name of the Ministry/Department …… ………. ………. ………

To

Admin/Establishment Section

Download the Copy here