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, officers will also be able to use them for 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 any other equipment worth up to Rs 1.3 lakh for official work.
Appliances up to 1.3 lakh will be available
It was also said in the guidelines 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 equipment, it was said in the memorandum that their cost can be up to one lakh, which does not include tax. On the other hand, for such equipment in which more than 40 percent make-in-India components have been used, this limit is Rs 1.30 lakh and this amount is exclusive of tax.
Exemption for personal use for 4 years
It was also said 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 in March, an order had come in which the price for such a device was fixed at Rs 80,000 and there was no talk of personal use.
The office memorandum states, "The concerned Ministry/Department must ensure that the device is wiped of all data before handing it over to the officer for custody. Following this office memorandum dated July 21, 2023, the order issued on March 27, 2020, which had fixed the price of such equipment at Rs 80,000 and there was no provision for keeping the equipment for personal use, would be superseded."
Read also: