This Office Memorandum addresses the importance of central government employees taking earned leave to mitigate stress and maintain well-being. While acknowledging that leave cannot be claimed as a right due to public service exigencies, it emphasizes the desirability of periodic leave for government servants. The memorandum instructs ministries and departments to streamline leave procedures, create annual leave programs considering parliamentary sessions and functional needs, and encourages leave sanctioning authorities to facilitate leave, especially for employees in the last 10 years of their careers. It also specifically mentions the Indian Audit and Accounts Department and includes a list of recipients for the memorandum.
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No. 14028/3/2000-Estt(L)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training
New Delhi, dated the 22^{nd } March, 2001
27
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject:- Grant of Earned Leave to Central Government Employees.
A suggestion has been made to the Government that as one of the institutional mechanisms to allow Government servants to periodically free themselves from the routine stresses of service life and thus help them avoid falling prey to various stress related diseases, they may be compelled to avail of at-least 15 days earned leave during a calendar year. Though implementation of the suggestion in this manner is not feasible on account of the provisions of service rules, the basic idea underlying the suggestion is un-exceptionable.
- Under the extant provisions of CCS(Leave) Rules, 1972, leave cannot be claimed as a matter of right. When the exigencies of the public service so require, discretion to refuse or revoke leave of any description is reserved to the authority empowered to grant it. However, as emphasised in the instructions issued by this Department from time to time, such provisions have been made in the Rules because it is not possible to let all those who want leave at a particular time to have it at that time and there is a limit beyond which depletion of staff cannot be permitted without dislocating the working of an establishment. These instructions are not intended to be used as in effect to abridge the leave entitlements of the staff. It is indeed desirable in the interest of the public services that government servants take leave at suitable intervals and return to work relaxed and refreshed. It has also been laid down that the leave sanctioning authorities may encourage government servants to take leave periodically, preferably annually, and in case where all applications for leave cannot, in the interest of public service, be granted at the same time, the leave sanctioning authority should draw up phased programme for the grant of leave to the applicants by turn with due regard to the principles enunciated. Leave is, accordingly, not to be ordinarily denied to any employee, especially in the last 10 years of his career.
- Periodical availment of leave is in the interest of the Government as well as the Government servants. Ministries/Departments should, therefore, further streamline the procedure and chalk out an annual leave programme keeping in view, the Parliament sessions and other relevant functional requirements.
- In so far as persons serving in the Indian Audit and Accounts Department are concerned, this issues with the concurrence of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
To
All Ministries/Departments of the Govt. of India.
Copy forwarded to :-
- The Comptroller & Auditor General of India and all states under his control. (with 400 spare copies)
- Controller General of Accounts/Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Finance.
- Registrar General, Supreme Court of India.
- Secretaries to Union Public service Commission/Election commission/ Lok Sabha Secretariat/ Rajya Sabha Secretariat/ Cabinet Secretariat/Central Vigilance Commission/President’s Secretariat/Vice President’s Secretariat/Prime Minister’s Office/ Planing Commission.
- Department of Personnel & Training (AIS Division /JCA Section/ Admn. Section \Pay Implementation Cell).
- Additional Secretary ( Union Territories ) Ministry of Home Affairs.
- All State Governments and Union Territories.
- Secretary, National Council (Staff side ), 13-C Feroze Shah Road, New Delhi.
- All Members of the staff side of the National Council of JCM/Department Council.
- All Officers/Sections of the Department of Personnel and Training/Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances/Department of Pensions & Pensioner’s Welfare.
- Joint Secretary(Pers) Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure.
- 300 Spare Copies .