No. 17011/3/97-Estt. (Allowance)
 Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension
(Department of Personnel and Training)

Dated: the 17th July, 1998

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Fifth Central Pay Commission’s recommendation relating to Honorarium payable under FR 46 (b)- Further guidelines to restrict payment of Honorarium.

The undersigned is directed to say that the Fifth Central Pay Commission in its report has recommended that Honorarium should be paid only when the employees are entrusted with duties of a purely occasional nature and under no circumstances should any honorarium be paid for performing any functions that are legitimately part of one’s defined duties and responsibilities.

2. In terms of the provisions of FR 46 (b), the Central Government may grant or permit a Government servant to receive an honorarium as remuneration for work performed which is occasional or intermittent in character and either so laborious or of such special merit as to justify a special reward. Except when special reasons, which should be recorded in writing, exist for a departure from this provision, sanction 6ot the grant or acceptance of an honorarium should not be given unless the work has been undertaken with the prior consent of the Central Government and its account has been settled in advance.

3. Guidelines for payment of Honorarium under FR 46 (b) have already been laid down inter alia vide this Department’s OM No. 17011/9/85- Estt. (AL), dated 23.12.1985 and OM No. 17020/1/91- Estt. (AL), dated 18.11.1991. It has also been clarified that no honorarium should be granted for temporary increases in work It has, however, come to the notice of the Department of Personnel & Training that Honorarium is being paid in a routine manner b various Ministries/ Departments for regular items of work. Such payment of honorarium is against the provisions of FR 46(B) as well as the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission.

4. The recommendation of the Fifth Central Pay Commission has been accepted by Government and it has been decided that in addition to the items of work for which payment of honorarium is already prohibited under instructions issued by the Ministry of Finance and this Department from time to time, Ministries/ Departments should not grant honorarium for the items of work of a routine nature which form part of the duties and responsibilities of a government servant. An illustrative list of such items of work is enclosed (Annexure). It has also been decided that approval of the Financial Adviser should also be taken in cases in which the amount of honorarium payable to an individual in financial year exceeds Rs.2500/-.

5. It is also clarified that the amount of Rs.5000/ Rs, 2500/- payable ‘in each case’ by the Ministries/ Departments under the powers delegated to them vide this Department’s O.M. No. 17011/9/85-Estt (AL), dated 23.12.85, refers to the total amount of honorarium, whether recurring or non-recurring, that may be paid to an individual in a financial year.

6. In so far as the persons serving the Indian Audit & Accounts Departments are concerned, these orders issue in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

7. These orders will effective from the date of issue.

8. Hindi version is enclosed.

 

Sd/-
(J. Wislon)
Deputy Secretary to the Government of India

To

All the Ministries/ Departments of the Government of India.

Copy forwarded to The Comptroller & Auditor General of India (with 400 spare copies)

Copies also forwarded to:

1. Registrar General, Supreme Court of India.

2. Secretaries to Union Public Seervice Commission. Election Commission/ Lok Sabha Secretariat/ Rajya Sabha Secretariat/ Cabinet Secretariat/ Central Vigilance Commission/ President’s Secretariat/ Vice President’s Secretariat/ Prime Minister’s Office/ Planning Commission.

3. Controller General of Accounts/ Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Finance.

4. Department of Personnel & Training (AIS Division/ JCA/ Admn. Section)

5. Additional Secretary (Home), Ministry of Home Affairs.

6. Joint Secretary (Union Territories), Ministry of Home Affairs.

7. Secretary, National Council (Staff Side), 13-C, Feroz Shah Road, New Delhi.

8. All officers/ Sections of the Department of Personnel & Training/ Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances/ Department of Pension & Pensioner’s Welfare

 

Sd/-
(J. Wislon)
Deputy Secretar