The Government of Rajasthan has issued an important amendment to the House Rent Allowance (HRA) Rules, 1989, which will impact government employees residing in areas undergoing administrative reclassification.
According to the notification dated August 14, 2025, a new provision has been inserted under Rule 5, sub-rule (2) of the HRA Rules, enabling automatic applicability or cessation of HRA benefits based on changes to urban or municipal boundaries.
Key Amendment:
The newly added note under Rule 5(2) reads:
“This provision shall automatically apply / cease to apply to areas which may be included within / excluded from the limits of the named corporation / municipal / urban agglomeration limits by the State Government, from the date of such inclusion/ exclusion.”
Implications of the Amendment:
- Automatic Adjustment: No separate government order will be required to modify HRA eligibility when an area is added to or removed from urban/corporate limits.
- Real-time Compliance: The provision will take effect immediately upon the date of such territorial changes notified by the State Government.
- Streamlining Administration: This change aims to reduce bureaucratic delays in aligning HRA entitlements with municipal status updates.
Effective Date:
- The amendment comes into force immediately from August 14, 2025.
Conclusion:
This proactive step by the Rajasthan government simplifies the process of updating HRA entitlements and ensures real-time compliance with municipal boundary changes. It will directly benefit government employees residing in fast-growing peri-urban or rural areas likely to be reclassified.