Narinder Jagga

Chandigarh: From Independence month, August, there will be no furlough for Officers, Employees or its Union’s leaders as the digital attendance system will be started from August 1.At present 18 departments of the Punjab Government are under Biometric Attendance System (BAS), but the main Secretariat, mini- Secretariat and some other offices in Chandigarh and Mohali will be equipped with BAS. Earlier the system could not run due to poor connectivity of Wi-Fi in some remote buildings, but now the system is being connected with Wi-Fi as well as local area network (LAN). Thumb impression in machines for all salaried persons will be mandatory, except Ministers.

165 Bio-metric attendance machines have been already installed in various offices of Punjab Government in Chandigarh, Mohali and Patiala, but it could not connect with the system, because of poor connectivity of Wi-Fi. Therefore the Government had to call the tenders again. While, earlier, the system had been installed in the Punjab Civil Secretariat, but it was swipe card system and it was only at the Entry Point of Secretariat. Tricks played by some employees compelled the Government to introduce thumb impression system to ensure the presence of employees, its Union’s leaders and Officers.

New system was to be started in January of this year, but it could not be installed due to the reportedly hitch of some senior Officers, Who felt that the new system is to monitor them. In the new system, there is leave and tour provision also. New system is to be installed at Secretariat, mini- Secretariat, Forest Building, Mohali, Punjab School Education Board, 17 Bays building, Udyog Bhawan, Local Body office, Anaj Bhawan, Vit Yojana Bhawan and some other offices related to the Punjab Administration in Chandigarh and Mohali. These 45 BASs will be installed at the main entry of buildings as well as outside the office of the department, floors-wise. Earlier, these systems have been installed in Punjab Health System Corporation, Governance Reforms, GMADA, PUDA, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, Agricultural Mandi Board, Excise and Taxation, School Education and some other departments, having 9,393 employees, are under BAS.

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