ISLAMABAD: The current government, whose term is supposed to end today, has notified a flat 50 per cent increase in the daily travelling and mileage allowances of all government employees on official duty.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday, the allowances within the country would now be allowed at a maximum special rate of Rs7,200 per day for employees in Grade 22, followed by Rs6,000 to Grade 21 and Rs4,920 to those in Grade 19 and 20.

Likewise, the maximum special daily rate for employees in grades 17 and 18 has been fixed at Rs3,840, followed by Rs2,160 for those in Grades 12 to 16, Rs1,320 for Grades 5 to 11, and Rs1,200 per day for Grades 1 to 4.

The increase in allowances is effective July 1.

Maximum daily rates range from Rs1,200 for grade 1 to Rs7,200 per day for grade 22 officials

The transportation cost has also been increased by 50pc to Rs7.5 per kilometre for cars and Rs3.75 for motorcycles. The per-kilometre mileage allowance has been jacked up by 50pc to Rs15 for personal cars or taxis, Rs6 for motorcycles, Rs3 for bicycles, and Rs3.75 for public transport.

Air travel is allowed at actual for employees in Grades 17 and above while the carriage of personal effects on retirement or transfer has also been increased to Rs0.03 per kg per km.

The above daily allowance rates apply to specified stations for special rates as notified from time to time, including Hydera­bad, Karachi, Sukkur, Bahawal­pur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Quetta, Sargodha, Sialkot, Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Pesha­war, Gwadar, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad and Mirpur in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Likewise, the ordinary daily allowance rates for other outstations have been increased by 50pc to Rs4,200 for Grade 21 and 22 employees, Rs3,720 for Grade 19 and 20, Rs3,000 for Grade 17 and 18, up to Rs1,680 for Grade 12 and 16, Rs936 for Grade 5 to 11, and Rs744 for Grade 1 to 4 employees.

Daily allowance will be admissible only for the actual nights at the outstation for which the allowance is claimed. Where night stop is not involved and if the absence from headquarters exceeds four hours, half daily allowance will be allowed.

These rates will not apply where 20 fixed daily allowances for operational duties are being paid with salary, which will be admissible on existing rates, i.e. the rates on which daily allowances were being drawn at the level on June 30 this year.

Government employees of up to BPS 1-19 may stay in government guest houses, public sector corporations, rest houses, motels and hotels (except for five-star ones). They can claim actual room rent charges on the production of receipts subject to a maximum of three daily allowances in specified stations and one and a half daily allowances at non-specified stations.

Where no hotel accommodation receipt is produced, the rate of accommodation charges will be admissible, equivalent to two daily allowances in specified stations and one allowance at non-specified stations.

Government servants in Grades 20 and above may stay in hotels and claim room rent charges on the production of receipts, subject to a maximum of three daily allowances for specified stations and one and a half daily allowances on non-specified stations. Where no hotel accommodation receipt is produced, the rate of accommodation charges will be admissible, equivalent to two daily allowances in specified stations and one daily allowance at non-specified stations.

For Grades 20 and above, however, if the room rent charges exceed the maximum ceiling, the government will pay 50pc of the additional amount.

Meanwhile, similar increases have also been notified for government servants posted abroad in diplomatic missions on account of foreign and entertainment allowances payable in US dollars based on the United Nations non-housing consumer price index. A separate rate list for these allowances has been notified for each diplomatic mission, depending on various regions and countries.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2023