2023 handbook summarySource checked 29 July 2026

Home Town LTC for Army Officers

The 2023 handbook states that an eligible Army officer may use Home Town LTC during authorised leave for travel by the entitled mode and class...

Overview

The 2023 handbook states that an eligible Army officer may use Home Town LTC during authorised leave for travel by the entitled mode and class, following the direct or main route to the recorded home town or selected place of residence. Separate conditions govern family travel, timing, carry-forward, and home-town changes.

What the handbook says

The first home-town concession is described as due in the second year of service and thereafter once a year, subject to the alternate-year anywhere-in-India option (printed page 145).
The officer travels to and from the railway station or airport nearest the recorded home town or SPR by the entitled mode and class and the direct or main route.
Eligible family members have a separate travel title under the conditions in Rule 177; a family member cannot use the same concession more than once in the same block (printed pages 145 and 147-148).
When service exigencies prevent use in the due year, the source permits carry-forward to the next year while treating the concession as used in the original year for future eligibility (printed page 146).
A return journey by family should ordinarily finish within six months after the outward journey, with the relaxation authority identified by the source (printed page 147).

What this means

Home Town LTC is tied to the home town or SPR held in the service record. A cheaper or closer destination does not automatically replace it for family travel. Any different station, broken journey, residence away from duty station, or late journey must satisfy its own rule and reimbursement ceiling.

Who this applies to

The source covers an officer on authorised leave within India and family members eligible under the applicable rule.
Family title does not depend on the officer travelling, but the source says it is unavailable before the officer completes one year of commissioned service.
The family may travel in batches, but each member can receive the concession only once in the relevant block.
Dependent parents living away from the officer may travel from their residence to the officer's home town; the source does not cover their travel from the home town to the officer's duty station.
A person who uses the anywhere-in-India concession for the year cannot also claim Home Town LTC for that year.

Rates and dates

The benefit is eligible travel cost by the authorised mode and class, not a flat payment.
If a rail warrant is not used, the source limits payment to the lower of the warrant cost at public tariff rates and actual expenditure, subject to Controlling Officer sanction (printed page 146).
Children in hostels are recorded as permitted to visit family on LTC from 1 September 2008, subject to the cited clarification (printed page 149).
No later-than-2023 source has been checked, so no entitlement on this page should be labelled current.

What you may need

The destination must agree with the home station held in the officer's service record before a warrant is issued (printed page 150).
The source treats a declared home town as final. An exceptional change must be notified through a Part II order and supported by Head of Department sanction, or MoD sanction where the officer is the Head of Department (printed pages 150-151).
Claims affected by residence away from the duty station require reasons, and the Controlling Authority must be satisfied that those reasons are genuine (printed page 148).

Authorities and source references

Rules 39, 47, 176, and 177(A) and 177(B) of the Travel Regulations
AO 464/1955
CGDA letter No. 4007/AT-P, dated 5 May 1976
GoI, MoD letter No. 12647/LTC/Mov C/2970/D(Mov)/08, dated 17 December 2008
CGDA letter No. AT/IV/4462/Claim/III, dated 17 July 2019

Related guidance

About this guidance

This is a plain-language summary for general information. It is not an official order or an authority for a claim. Confirm the applicable order and your individual eligibility with the competent authority or PCDA(O) before acting.

Overview

What the handbook says

The first home-town concession is described as due in the second year of service and thereafter once a year, subject to the alternate-year anywhere-in-India option (printed page 145).

The officer travels to and from the railway station or airport nearest the recorded home town or SPR by the entitled mode and class and the direct or main route.

Eligible family members have a separate travel title under the conditions in Rule 177; a family member cannot use the same concession more than once in the same block (printed pages 145 and 147-148).

When service exigencies prevent use in the due year, the source permits carry-forward to the next year while treating the concession as used in the original year for future eligibility (printed page 146).

A return journey by family should ordinarily finish within six months after the outward journey, with the relaxation authority identified by the source (printed page 147).

What this means

Who this applies to

The source covers an officer on authorised leave within India and family members eligible under the applicable rule.

Family title does not depend on the officer travelling, but the source says it is unavailable before the officer completes one year of commissioned service.

The family may travel in batches, but each member can receive the concession only once in the relevant block.

Dependent parents living away from the officer may travel from their residence to the officer's home town; the source does not cover their travel from the home town to the officer's duty station.

A person who uses the anywhere-in-India concession for the year cannot also claim Home Town LTC for that year.

Rates and dates

The benefit is eligible travel cost by the authorised mode and class, not a flat payment.

If a rail warrant is not used, the source limits payment to the lower of the warrant cost at public tariff rates and actual expenditure, subject to Controlling Officer sanction (printed page 146).

Children in hostels are recorded as permitted to visit family on LTC from 1 September 2008, subject to the cited clarification (printed page 149).

No later-than-2023 source has been checked, so no entitlement on this page should be labelled current.

What you may need

The destination must agree with the home station held in the officer's service record before a warrant is issued (printed page 150).

The source treats a declared home town as final. An exceptional change must be notified through a Part II order and supported by Head of Department sanction, or MoD sanction where the officer is the Head of Department (printed pages 150-151).

Claims affected by residence away from the duty station require reasons, and the Controlling Authority must be satisfied that those reasons are genuine (printed page 148).