Benefits for Employees in Kashmir extended

The Government have extended the special package for the employees posted in Kashmir by an year. Central government employees will continue to receive the additional benifits, like additional HRA and other assistance, for another year till December 31, 2011. The special package of concessions and incentives was earlier supposed to come to an end on December 31 last.
Under the package, these employees will get additional house rent allowance (HRA) and other concessions. They have an option to move their families to a place of their choice in India at government expense.
They will also get travelling allowances for the families allowed as admissible in permanent transfer, including transportation, payment for packing etc.
Besides, the department concerned will make arrangements for stay, security and transportation to place of work for the employees. The employees posted to the Kashmir Valley, who do not wish to move their families to a selected place of residence, will get a daily allowance of Rs 101 for each day of attendance. This will be in addition to the transport allowance, which the employee is otherwise eligible for. Messing allowance to be paid to the employees at a uniform rate of Rs 151 daily by all departments, or in lieu messing arrangements to be made by the departments themselves.
The slightly higher rate of allowances adopted by the Department of Telecom and Posts will be continued as a special case by the Department of Personnel in consultation with the Ministry of Finance.
The employees migrated from the Valley are accommodated to the extent possible in the available vacancies under the respective ministries or departments in offices located outside but adjacent in the national capital.
Pensioners of the Valley, who are unable to draw their monthly pensions through either public sector banks or treasuries from which they were receiving their pensions, would be given pensions outside the Valley where they have settled, in relaxation of relevant provisions.
The package of concessions or facilities will be admissible in the Valley comprising of six districts -- Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Srinagar.
The benefit of additional HRA under the package shall be admissible to all Central government employees posted to the Valley irrespective of whether they are natives of Kashmir Valley and if they choose to move their families anywhere in India, subject to the conditions governing the grant of these allowances.
The facilities of messing allowance and per day allowance will also be allowed to natives of Kashmir Valley.