The CAG has pointed out alleged irregularities in use of Leave Travel Concession (LTC) grant by officials of Home and Culture ministries who claimed inflated air bills for travelling to Jammu and Kashmir by private airlines.
Following the audit, the Home Ministry has formed a committee to look into the matter.
Government employees get to and fro journey cost reimbursement and leaves while availing LTC.
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As per rules, all government employees may visit Jammu and Kashmir by availing the services of private airlines for travel but the tickets need to be purchased either directly from the airlines or through authorised agents only viz M/s Balmer Lawrie & Company, M/s Ashok Travels & Tours Limited and Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation.
"Test check of LTC bills disclosed that 44 officers or officials of Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Culture performed air journeys to J&K by availing relaxation provided by the government to travel by private airlines. The journeys were undertaken through three private airlines namely Indigo, Spicejet and Go Air.
"Further, one official of Ministry of Culture had performed air journey to Andaman and Nicobar Island through Air India. We carried out a test check of reimbursement of LTC claims for 2013-14 and 2014-15 of these officers or officials in the Ministries by comparing the details available on the website of the airlines and found that the bills furnished with the claims were not correct," the CAG said in a report tabled in Parliament today.
Audit observed that air tickets submitted by these officers were not in conformity with those issued by the airlines and the fares claimed by the employees were higher than the amount actually paid to these airlines, which resulted in irregular excess payment of Rs 14.32 lakh, it said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs accepted the facts and stated that the details worked out by audit were confirmed from Indigo and Spice Jet airlines and were found identical, the report by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said.
"It (Home Ministry) further added that a two-member Committee had been constituted to examine the matter," it said, adding that the reply of Ministry of Culture was awaited.
