Central pay perks now for govt staff in J&K — grants for children, higher studies allowance

Order issued by J&K Lieutenant Governor G.C. Murmu says Rs 2,250 per month per child fixed as Children Education Allowance. Double amount for special children.

Security personnel in Kashmir | Representational image | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

New Delhi: Government employees working in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will now be given benefits of central pay grade, which includes an education allowance and hostel subsidy for their children, along with an incentive for the employees to pursue higher education in a field that is relevant to their jobs.

Lieutenant Governor (L-G) G.C. Murmu Thursday issued three orders in this regard, copies of which are with ThePrint.

The orders come at a time when the newly created union territory is undergoing an administrative transition and many erstwhile state government employees are sceptical about the benefits promised to them by the central government.

Double allowance for special children

According to the relevant order, a sum of Rs 2,250 per month per child has been fixed as the Children Education Allowance (CEA). For special children, the amount is double.

“The reimbursement of CEA for Divyaang (special) children of government employees shall be payable at double the normal rates of CEA, i.e. Rs 4,500 per month (fixed),” the order stated.

An additional Rs 6,760 per month has been fixed as the ceiling for hostel subsidy, which can be claimed along with the CEA.

The government employees can avail the CEA until the child attains 20 years of age or clears Class XII — whichever is earlier. The upper age limit for a special child is 22 years.

“The expenditure on boarding and lodging or the ceiling of Rs 6,750 as mentioned, whichever is lower, shall be paid to the employees as hostel subsidy,” the order said.

The order further stated the rates would be automatically raised by 25 per cent every time the dearness allowance (DA) on the revised pay structure goes up by 50 per cent.

The hostel subsidy, according to the order, will have no connection with the child’s performance in school. “Even if a child fails in a particular class, the reimbursement of CEA and hostel subsidy shall not be stopped.”

Moreover, if the employee dies while in service, the government will continue to pay the allowance to his/her children.

The allowance will also be given if the child is studying through correspondence or distance learning.

Grant for higher education for employees

The administration has also sanctioned an incentive for employees interested in acquiring higher education in the fields that are directly relevant to their jobs.

While a sum of Rs 30,000 will be granted to a PhD or equivalent, Rs 25,000 will be given to employees willing to pursue a postgraduate degree or diploma of more than one-year duration.

For a PG degree or diploma with a course duration of less than a year, Rs 20,000 will be granted. The amount will be Rs 15,000 if an employee opts to pursue a degree or diploma course of more than three years.

The order, however, clarified that the incentive will not be available for qualifications that are “essential and desirable in the recruitment rules”.

Also, no incentive will be given for acquiring higher qualification purely on academic or literary subjects.

“The acquisition of the qualification should be directly related to the functions of the post held by him/her, or to the functions to be performed in the next higher post,” the order stated.

This incentive is also limited to a maximum of two times in an employee’s career, with a minimum gap of two years between successive grants.

Transport allowance

According to the L-G’s order, employees of various pay scales will be given transport allowance (TA). 

For the pay level 9 and above, it will be Rs 7,200 plus DA, for level 3 to 9, it will be Rs 3,600 plus DA and up to level 2, it will be Rs 1,350 plus DA, the order said. 

Also, for the employees who are posted at other places, the rates of TA and DA will differ.

The allowance, however, will not be given to those employees who have been provided with the facility of government transport.

Also, the allowance for specially-abled employees will be double. They will be given Rs 2,250 per month plus the DA, the order added.