News for Government Employees: In the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance, it was said that all officers of the level of Deputy Secretary of the Central Government and above are eligible to receive such electronic equipment.
Mobile-Laptop for Government Employees: There is good news for the employees working in the Central Government. The government has announced to give mobile phones, laptops or other equipment worth up to Rs 1.5 lakh to the officers for work. Along with this, the officers will also be able to use them for their personal use for four years.
The Expenditure Department of the Ministry of Finance has issued guidelines regarding this through a memorandum. According to the memorandum, the officers for whom this facility is available can take mobile, laptop, tablet, phablet, notebook, notepad, ultra-book, net-book or other equipment worth up to Rs 1.3 lakh for official work.
Will get equipment up to 1.3 lakh
The guidelines also said that all officers of the level of Deputy Secretary and above of the Central Government are eligible to receive such electronic equipment. In the case of Section Officers and Under Secretaries, 50 per cent of the officers may be issued such devices. Regarding the cost of the equipment, it was said in the memorandum that their cost can be up to one lakh, which does not include tax. At the same time, for such equipment in which more than 40 percent make-in-India components have been used, this limit is Rs 1.30 lakh for those equipment and this amount is exclusive of tax.
Exemption for personal use for 4 years
It was also stated in the memorandum, “If a device is already allotted to an officer in any ministry/department, he cannot be issued a new device for four years.” It said that the officers can keep this equipment with them after four years. Earlier, an order had come in March, in which the price for such a device was fixed at Rs 80,000 and nothing was said about personal use.
The office memorandum states, “The concerned ministry/department shall ensure that all data is wiped from the device before it is handed over to the officer for custody. This office memorandum dated July 21, 2023 shall stand superseded by the order dated March 27, 2020, which fixed the cost of such devices at Rs 80,000 and made no provision for retention of devices for personal use.”
