RBE No. 46/2000: House Rent Allowance (HRA) – Admissibility in the Event of Non-acceptance

No.E(P&A)II-99/HRA-2, dated 16.03.2000

Sub: Admissibility of House Rent Allowance in the event of non acceptance for surrender of railway residential accommodation.
Ref: Board’s letters No.E(P&A)II-87/HRA-15, dated 16.05.1988 (RBE No. 98/1988), No.E(P&A)II-95/HRA/3, dated 14.02.1996 (RBE No. 12/1996) and No.E(P&A)II-99/HRA-2, dated 12.07.1999 (RBE No. 163/1999).

1. In terms of instructions contained in Board’s letter No.PC-67/JCM-2, dated 10.07.1967, and as modified/ clarified from time to time, Railway employees who are eligible for Railway accommodation and (i) who, do not submit application for such accommodation; or (ii) who, after submitting applications for such accommodation, refuse to accept accommodation when offered/ allotted; or (iii) who, after having accepted such accommodation, surrender it, may be paid House Rent Allowance, if otherwise admissible, on fulfillment of the prescribed conditions. In terms of the instructions contained in Board’s letter dated 16.05.1988 (RBE No. 98/1988) and 12.07.1999 (RBE No. 163/1999), powers to issue sanction for eligibility to House Rent Allowance in the above type of cases stand delegated to the General Managers and other Heads of Organisations, directly controlling allotment of quarters to Railway employees and also to the Divisional Railway Managers/ Chief Workshop Managers, in-charge of workshops as are controlling housing pools. This concession is, however, not admissible to employees for whom Railway accommodation is specifically ear-marked or to those employees, whose occupation of Railway quarters is essential for easy accessibility during emergencies/ efficient discharge of their duties etc.

2. The issue regarding further delegation of these powers has been considered by the Board and it has been decided that sanction for eligibility to House Rent Allowance in the type of cases mentioned in Para 1 above may be issued by the departmental head of the respective department at the headquarters office in respect of workshops and other units/ organisations where there are no Senior Administrative Officer controlling housing pools and by the PHOD or the nominated HOD of each department in respect of the quarters under the control of the respective departments in the headquarters office.

3. The other terms and conditions contained in Board’s letter dated 12.07.1999 (RBE No. 163/1999) remain unchanged.

Download Railway Board Circular RBE No. 46/2000