Travel allowance entitlement rules revised

MUSCAT: Ministry of Finance has cancelled certain expense claims and premium cabin airline tickets for government employees.

The ministry has directed all public units, authorities and institutions to stop issuing travel allowances to employees assigned for work assignments inside the Sultanate that do not involve spending a night out of town. The minimum distance for the work assignment shall be not less than 250 kilometres, to qualify for a travel allowance, the ministry has ruled.

When a sponsor exists, the public unit, authority or institution shall pay 75 per cent of the allowance for the employee assigned for a work assignment abroad and 50 per cent for an internal assignment.

The ministry also stated that only employees using private vehicles during work assignment inside the Sultanate will be entitled to the travel allowance.

Business-class tickets shall be only issued for undersecretaries, advisors, experts, consultant doctors, specialised doctors, college deans, walis and general managers and the rest employees shall get economy-class tickets while travelling on a work assignment, the ministry explained in the financial circular.

The ministry also called on all Public Units, Authorities and Institutions to follow the directions issued in the financial circulars.

It issued the circular on July 25, which was signed by Darwish bin Ismail bin Ali Al Balushi, minister responsible for Financial Affairs.