Government employees are entitled to mobile phones and laptops worth up to Rs 1.3 lakh that they may keep after four years

Officers in the central government would be granted access to mobile, laptop, or comparable gadgets worth up to Rs 1.3 lakh, which they may keep for personal use after 4 years.

Guidelines for the supply of mobile, laptop, tablet, phablet, notebook, notepad, ultra-book, net-book, or devices of similar kinds to qualified officers for official work were outlined by the Finance Ministry’s Expenditure Department in an office memorandum.

All central government employees with the level of deputy secretary or above are eligible for these electronic gadgets, according to the regulations.

50% of the authorized strength may be provided such devices to Section Officers and Under Secretaries.

The workplace document said that the gadget might cost up to Rs 1 lakh plus taxes. However, the price cap would be Rs. 1.30 lakh plus taxes for products having a Make-in-India component of above 40%.

In a ministry or department, “no new device may be sanctioned to an officer who has previously been assigned a device, up to 4 years, save in case of repair, which is regarded as “beyond affordable repairs,” according to the memorandum.

It further said that the officer must keep the gadget after four years of use.

“Concerned Ministry/Department shall ensure that the data in the device is completely wiped out (data sanitised) before the device is handed over to the officer for retention,” the memorandum said.

The prior memorandum, which was released on March 27, 2020, has been superseded by the one dated July 21, 2023. In the older one, there was no provision for retention of gadgets for personal use, and the cost of such equipment was limited at Rs 80,000.