The J&K administration on Thursday made biometric attendance mandatory for all its employees “with immediate effect”.
In an order issued by the General Administration Department under Order No.650-JK(GAD) of 2022 Dated:02.06.2022, the government said that all Government Offices/PSUs/Institutions/Corporations across the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall switch over to Biometric System (Aadhar or Finger Print based) of marking attendance with immediate effect.
“All employees shall necessarily mark their attendance both at arrival and
departure as per the notified office hours of various offices,” the GAD order issued by Principal Secretary M K Dwivedi said.
The order said that all Administrative Secretaries/HoDs/ Managing Directors of PSUs/Institution/Corporations shall ensure installation of Biometric Attendance Systems/Equipments in all offices/institutions under their administrative control by or before 15th of June, 2022.
“The concerned DDOS shall draw the salaries of employees working in various departments of Civil Secretariat only on the basis of satisfactory biometric attendance w.e.f 1st July, 2022,” the order said.
It said that the salaries of employees working in subordinate offices/PSUs/Corporations/ Institutions etc. shall be drawn on the basis of satisfactory biometric attendance w.e.f 1* August, 2022 only by their DDOs.
In another order on Thursday, the government said that all Administrative Secretaries/HoDs shall put In place Biometric System of marking attendance for all employees deployed for field duties and not required to attend office establishments (like Patwaries, Panchayat Secretaries, Police Personnel, Beat Guards of various departments like Forest, Fisheries etc.) across the Union terrltory of Jammu and Kashmir through various IT based/enabled tools and mobile applications within a period of four weeks positively.
“It is further ordered that the Information Technology Department shall provide the requlslte technical guidance In the matter as may be sought by various departments,” the GAD order said.
The administration has often been receiving complaint against employees either turning up late for work or leaving their place of duties much ahead of the time, which has affected the good governance.
The move is likely to end the malpractice in government offices. It is also likely to ensure that people who visit government offices for official purpose don’t end up wasting their time.
The menace of officials not following the office timing has negatively affected the systems of governance and it has also earned a bad name for the administration at a time when the government is trying to build a fast and transparent system of governance in J&K.