Travelling Allowance, abbreviated TA, covers the costs an employee incurs while travelling on duty for the Government. It has four distinct components: TA on tour, TA on transfer, TA on retirement, and TA for journey on training. Each has its own eligibility, mode-of-travel entitlement, and rate structure. The current rules are the consolidated TA rules issued by the Department of Expenditure following the 7th CPC, with periodic OM-based amendments.
Pay Matrix level: travel entitlements
| Pay Matrix Level | Travel by air | Train (rail) | Travel by road |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 and above | Business / Club class | AC First Class | AC taxi / actual fare bus / own car |
| 12 and 13 | Economy class | AC First Class | AC taxi / AC bus / own car |
| 9 to 11 | Economy class (where journey > 500 km and not by Rajdhani/Shatabdi) | AC II Tier | AC bus / own car |
| 6 to 8 | Not entitled (with limited exceptions for emergency) | AC II Tier | Non-AC taxi / AC bus |
| 4 and 5 | Not entitled | AC III Tier / First Class | Non-AC bus / auto |
| 1 to 3 | Not entitled | Sleeper class / Second Class | Bus (state transport) |
Air travel within India for Levels 9–11 is permitted on tour where the journey is over 500 km and the destination is not connected by Rajdhani / Shatabdi. International tour entitlements have a separate ceiling structure under MEA rules.
TA on tour (temporary duty)
TA on tour comprises three elements: travel fare reimbursement, daily allowance for the days at the tour station, and mileage allowance where the journey is by road for which no public transport is used.
Daily Allowance (DA on tour)
The 7th CPC restructured DA on tour. The current rates (post 1 July 2017 OM and subsequent revisions) are:
| Level | Reimbursement of food expenses (Rs/day) | Reimbursement of hotel charges (Rs/day) |
|---|---|---|
| 14 and above | Rs. 1,200 | Rs. 7,500 |
| 12 and 13 | Rs. 1,000 | Rs. 4,500 |
| 9 to 11 | Rs. 900 | Rs. 2,250 |
| 6 to 8 | Rs. 800 | Rs. 750 |
| 5 and below | Rs. 500 | Rs. 450 |
Hotel ceiling and food expenses are reimbursable on production of vouchers. Where vouchers are not produced for food, a flat one-third of the food ceiling is paid as a lump-sum DA without vouchers (the “without bills” mode).
TA on transfer
On a transfer involving change of station, the employee is entitled to:
- Travel fare for self and family members at the entitled class.
- Composite Transfer Grant (CTG): 80% of last month’s basic pay (for transfers involving change of station of more than 20 km), or 33% of last month’s basic pay (for transfers within the same city or to a station less than 20 km away).
- Transportation of personal effects at prescribed limits (kilograms by rail, full container by road).
- Conveyance for transportation of conveyance (motor car, motor cycle, scooter) at prescribed rates.
CTG worked example
Level 8 employee with basic pay Rs. 47,600 transferred from Mumbai to Pune (different station, more than 20 km):
- CTG: 47,600 × 0.80 = Rs. 38,080
- Plus: actual rail fare for self + family at AC II Tier from Mumbai to Pune.
- Plus: transportation of personal effects up to entitled weight.
- Plus: transportation of one car (if owned) at prescribed rate.
TA on retirement
An employee retiring from Government service is entitled to TA to settle at any place in India, payable as if the place of settlement were a place of transfer. The components are the same as TA on transfer: travel fare, CTG, personal effects, and conveyance transport. The claim must be lodged within one year from the date of retirement; the period can be extended by the head of department in deserving cases.
Mileage allowance
Where the journey is by a mode for which no fare is incurred (own car, own motor cycle, taxi between two points not connected by public transport), mileage is paid at:
- Own car: Rs. 24 per km.
- Auto rickshaw / scooter / motor cycle: Rs. 12 per km.
- Cycle: Rs. 1.20 per km.
- On foot: Rs. 12 per km (where road access is unavailable, e.g. specific border or hill postings).
These rates were last revised by the Department of Expenditure OM dated 13 July 2017 and have not been further revised in the public OM record as of April 2026.
Settling claims
TA bills must be submitted in Form GAR-14A (or its electronic equivalent on PFMS / e-Office) along with: tour programme as approved, fare receipts (original or e-ticket), hotel bills, food bills (if claiming food reimbursement against vouchers), and a tour report. The general time limit for submission is 60 days from completion of the tour or transfer; the head of department can extend this in deserving cases.
Common issues
- Class of travel mismatch. If you travel by a class lower than your entitlement, the actual fare is paid. If you travel by a class higher than your entitlement, only the entitled-class fare is paid; the difference is borne by you.
- Air travel by non-Air India airlines. Government policy requires air travel by Air India where available on the route, unless prior departmental approval is obtained for another airline.
- Transit halts. A transit halt of more than 24 hours triggers a separate DA day; less than 24 hours is treated as part of the journey day.
- Joint travel with family. Family members must travel as defined in FR 9 (spouse, dependent children, dependent parents subject to certain conditions).
Frequently asked questions
Can I claim CTG more than once if transferred multiple times in a year?
Yes, each transfer involving a change of station gives a fresh entitlement to CTG and other components. There is no annual cap on the number of transfers.
Is daily allowance reduced if I stay with friends or relatives at the tour station?
If hotel reimbursement is not claimed (no hotel bill), the food expenses component can still be claimed. The hotel ceiling is contingent on actual hotel stay with bills.
What about TA for training?
TA for training programmes follows the tour TA structure, with food and hotel reimbursement at the relevant level. Where the training is residential and accommodation is provided free, hotel reimbursement is not admissible.
Sources
- Department of Expenditure OM No.19030/1/2017-E.IV, dated 13 July 2017 (consolidated TA rules post 7th CPC).
- FR 113 to FR 117 and Supplementary Rules (SR) 21 to SR 220.
- SR 19 (rules on family for TA purposes).
- 7th CPC Report, Chapter 8.15 (Travelling Allowance).
- Subsequent OMs amending mileage rates and DA on tour.