To rein in latecomers, the Delhi Government will install biometric attendance system to maintain timekeeping in its offices. As officials and employees have been reporting to the duty late in the morning despite order to ensure punctuality and discipline of Government by Delhi Government’s Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, the decision to introduce attendance machine was taken. Srivastava has asked all department heads to install biometric attendance system at their offices by April 20.
In his first meeting with Head of Departments on January 9, 2014, Srivastava has directed them to install biometric system to ensure punctuality and discipline in all the offices and centralised monitoring needs to be taken up to ensure timely attendance of the officers and officials.
“The maintenance of discipline is responsibility of the Secretary and HoDs concerned and any compromise in this matter will certainly affect the discipline and efficiency of working. I have apprised lieutenant-Governor in this regard. In the next senior officials meeting, the status of steps taken to ensure punctuality and installation of biometric attendance system in all offices will be discussed,” Chief Secretary said in a circular issued to all HoDs.
“Former law Minister Somnath Bharti had ordered installation of such machines. The process was halted after the resignation of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The many senior bureaucrats were deployed for the parliamentary elections in Delhi. Now as the polls are over, every official will have to report to their mother branch. The Chief Secretary has asked them for a quick reaction on the circular,” said a senior Delhi Government official.
The Pioneer has visited several offices of Delhi Government and it was found that most of the offices have yet to install biometric attendance system. Monitoring of nodal offices, satellite offices and camp offices of different departments will be done by the head of departments. The outdoor employees, like DTC drivers, conductors, class four officials, will have to mark their attendance before leaving for their outdoor duty.
However, for contractual employees, who are in thousands in the Government offices, old attendance system will be followed. “After receiving confirmation from all of the departments, the Government will soon float a tender for biometric machines. The entire system is likely to be installed by the end of this year. However, the pace of work will also depend on the new Government of the Capital,” he added.