The Maharashtra government has tightened its grip on government accommodation after finding that several officials continue to occupy official quarters in Mumbai even after being transferred outside the city.
Under a new government resolution issued by the General Administration Department on Friday, employees transferred outside the Brihanmumbai area will have to vacate their government accommodation and submit a formal clearance certificate. Failure to do so could mean withholding of their House Rent Allowance (HRA) as well as the travel allowance available after a transfer.
The move seeks to close a loophole that has allowed some employees to retain Mumbai government residences despite no longer being posted in the city.
Government accommodation
in Mumbai and its suburbs is allotted to employees working in offices under various state government departments. However, the government has found that in several cases, employees continued to retain these residences after being transferred outside Mumbai.
The administration has also flagged a communication gap. Details of transfers were not always reaching the General Administration Department or the Public Works Department in time, making it difficult to identify employees who were continuing to occupy quarters despite their transfer.
The government has now linked the transfer, salary and allowance process to the vacation of official accommodation.
For employees whose salaries include deductions towards licence and service charges for government accommodation, transfer orders involving postings outside Mumbai will have to be specifically marked to the General Administration Department.
The Drawing and Disbursing Officer concerned will also have to obtain a certificate from the General Administration Department confirming that the employee has vacated the government residence.
The certificate will then have to be attached to the employee’s Last Pay Certificate and forwarded to the new office.
Until the certificate is received, the Drawing and Disbursing Officer at the employee’s new posting will not be permitted to release HRA or the transfer-related travel allowance.
The government has also placed accountability on officials processing these payments. If HRA or travelling expenses are paid despite non-compliance with the new procedure, the amount will be recovered from the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officer.
The rules will also cover employees who were transferred to Mumbai but never actually accepted government accommodation. In such cases, a certificate confirming that the employee had not availed the housing facility will be required when the employee is subsequently transferred outside Mumbai.
Importantly, the new framework is not restricted to Mumbai. It will apply to government residences across Maharashtra.
The government hopes the move will prevent employees from retaining official accommodation after their postings change and ensure that scarce government housing is released for eligible employees waiting for accommodation.
