The Applicant has to provide information along with proof

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has made the rules more stringent for employees applying for ex-India leave. The employees seeking leave to go abroad will have to state the reason for visiting abroad along with proofs. The period for which the leave is sought will not be extended and the employee will have to join duty after completion of the leave.

According to the new instructions issued by the government, while applying for ex-India leave, it will also be necessary to mention who will take care of the work in their place during the leave period. The application will not be accepted in case if any kind of departmental inquiry, vigilance inquiry, action has been taken for indiscipline earlier against the employee or have any record of extension of holiday period during ex-India leave.

However, while applying for the leave, an affidavit has to be submitted which states that the applicant does not have any foreign PR card, green card, work permit or immigration certificate and will return to duty on time after spending holidays abroad. The applicant also has to mention whom he is going to meet in the respective country. For this, the applicant has to provide information along with proof.

It is worth mentioning here that the number of employees going on ex-India leave is very high in the government departments of Punjab, because most of the employees' relatives and family members are settled abroad. Employees take ex-India leave for family functions, but during the previous government's review of ex-India leave, it was revealed that after taking leave, several employees returned after many years on medical grounds. They keep extending their leave. Many cases have also come to light that employees who have extended leave visit abroad for work purpose. They return after a few years and reap the benefits as government employees.

About Ex-India Leave.....

Government Employees requires to take prior permission for leaving station/headquarters for going abroad while on leave. The Government Department has issued various instructions from time to time regarding ex-India leave.

The approval will no longer be required in the case of private visits abroad, which are personal without any sponsorship and not linked to any official visit, on leave due and admissible, whether casual leave, earned leave, half-pay leave, leave on medical grounds and extra ordinary leave. State Governments and Ministries of the Government of India may sanction such leave as per rules.

The maximum period of ex-India leave in conjunction with official duty is 3 weeks while adhering to the limit of 50% of the period of official duty abroad. However, in the case of official visits of duration less than 8 days, the limit of 50% may be relaxed and ex-India leave upto a maximum of 4 days may be granted.