Travel Allowance

Bureaucracy explained!

After the great war in Ramayana, Hanumanji submitted his T.A. (Travel Allowance) Bill for his official tour for collecting Sanjeevani Booti to Ayodhya administration.

The LDC (Lower Division Clerk) in T.A. Bill section raised 3 objections:

(1) Hanumanji did not take prior permission of the appropriate authority (Bharat), the King of Ayodhya, during the relevant time for his travel;

(2) Hanumanji being Junior officer was not entitled to air travel;

(3) Hanumanji was asked to bring Sanjeevani Booti, just a single plant, but he carried a whole mountain (unauthorized excess baggage).

The LDC returned the bill.

King Ram could do nothing except mark it down for re-examination.

A worried Jaambuvan approached the LDC and offered a bribe of 10% of the T.A. Bill amount.

The LDC now wrote on the Bill:

Re-examined:

1. Even during the relevant time, Ramji was the de-jure king through his Paduka.

2. Further, in an emergency, non-entitled officers can be authorized ex-post facto to fly.

3. Also excess baggage is justified as bringing a wrong plant would have entailed multiple journeys with extra cost; hence bill may be paid.

The T.A. Bill was paid accordingly.