Friday, June 5, 2015

House Rent Allowance, Travel Allowance increased for select cities



Based on the Census of 2011, the House Rent Allowance and Travel Allowance for Central Government employees of a few cities are going to be hiked.

At the cabinet meeting, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was decided that, based on the Census report of 2011, the status of 29 towns and small towns is going to be upgraded. Central Government employees employed in these cities and towns will be eligible to grant revised House Rent Allowance and Rravel Allowance with effect from April 1, 2014. This would cost the government exchequer an additional Rs.128 crores annually.


House Rent Allowance to Central Government employees is now calculated on the basis of the population census of 2001. The cities and towns are classified as X, Y, and Z, based on their population. Employees in these towns are eligible for 30%, 20% and 10% House Rent Allowances respectively.

Population census is conducted once every ten years. The most recent census was held in 2011. Official information and findings of the Census was sent by the registrar General & Census Commissioner to the Finance Ministry a long time ago.

There is no denial in the fact that the Confederation of Central Government Employees has been constantly demanding this upgrading. The Confederation had, on 28.04.2014, sent a letter to the Finance Ministry. The letter said that even though the 2011 Census Report CD was received, there is no official announcement from the Government in this regard. The letter also demanded that a revised HRA and TA be implemented immediately in the reclassification of cities and towns on the basis of 2011 Census. On 30.07.2014, the Finance Ministry had, in reply to the mail, said that steps are being taken to implement the revised HRA and TA rates to the Central Government employees of these cities and towns.

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Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Cbinet
Dated: 30-May,2015
Revision of the classification/upgradation certain cities/towns on the basis of Census-2011 for the purpose of grant of House Rent Allowance and Transport Allowance to Central Government employees
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval to the proposal of the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure for reclassification/upgradation of certain cities/towns on the basis of Census-2011, for the purpose of grant of House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Transport Allowance to Central Government employees.
On the basis of the final population figures of Census-2011, two cities have qualified for being upgraded from ‘Y’ class to ‘X’ class and 21 cities have qualified for being upgraded from ‘Z’ to ‘Y’ class for the purpose of HRA. Six cities have qualified for being upgraded from “Other Places” to specified higher class for the purpose of Transport Allowance.
The revised classification of cities shall take effect from 01.04.2014. The impact on the exchequer on account of upgradation of 29 cities, would be approx. Rs.128 crore for the year 2014-15.
Background:
HRA and Transport Allowance are admissible to Central Government employees depending upon employees’ Basic Pay (including NPA where applicable)/Grade Pay and the classification of the city/town where they are posted. The existing classification of cities/towns in different classes viz. ‘X’, ‘Y’ and ‘Z’ for the purpose of HRA and 13 specified cities classified earlier as ‘A-1’/ ‘A’ and “Other Places” for the purpose of Transport Allowance, is as per the criterion recommended by the 6th Central Pay Commission. The existing qualifying limits of population for classification for HRA purpose is 50 lakhs & above for ‘X’, 5 – 50 lakhs for ‘Y’ and below 5 lakhs for ‘Z’ class city. Transport allowance is payable at ‘higher rates’ in 13 specified cities classified earlier as ‘A-1′ / ‘A’ (that is those cities having population of 20 lakhs & above) and at ‘lower rates’ in all other places.
The classification of cities/towns for this purpose is revised on the basis of their population as reflected in the decennial census report. The existing classification of various cities/towns is based on 2001 Census figures. The criterion of population for this purpose has been followed as recommended by the Central Pay Commissions.
Cities/towns to be upgraded on the basis of census-2011 for grant of House Rent Allowance
Cities to be upgraded/re-classified as “X”
Ahmadabad(UA)
Pune (UA)
Cities to be upgraded/re-classified as “Y”
Nellore (UA)
Gurgaon (UA)
Bokaro Steel City (UA)
Gulbarga (UA)
Thrissur (UA)
Malappuram (UA)
Kannur(UA)
Kollam (UA)
Ujjain (M. Coprn.)
Vasai-Virar City (M. Corpn.)
Malegaon (UA)
Nanded-Waghala (M.Corp.)
Sangli (UA)
Raurkela (UA)
Ajmer (UA)
Erode (UA)
Noida (CT)
Firozabad (NPP)
Jhansi (UA)
Siliguri (UA)
Durgapur (UA)
Cities/towns to be upgraded on the basis of census-2011 for grant of Transport Allowance
Cities to be added for higher rates of Transport Allowance (i.e. which have population of more than 20 lakh to qualify for earlier classification as “A-1”/ “A” as stipulated in O.M. No. 21(2)/2008-E.II(B) dated 29.8.2008):
Patna (UA)
Kochi (UA)
Indore (UA)
Coimbatore (UA)
Ghaziabad (UA)
Source- Pib