Punjab to set up biometric attendance devices

Punjab government will soon install biometric attendance devices in public offices across the state in order to ensure punctuality and accountability of employees.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, at his maiden Sangat Darshan programme at Punjab Bhawan here today, said the devices would be installed in the next two months to to ensure punctuality of employees in the wake of public complaints in this regard.
The devices will be installed in all public offices in Chandigarh as well as in districts and other field offices.
Addressing a plaint about the absence of state officials in the Revenue Department, Badal directed the Chief Secretary to prepare a detailed proposal for the installation of biometric attendance in all Punjab offices.

He assured the complainants that the government would complete this project on priority, and that the biometric devices would be linked to a centralized control room to keep record of timings of employees.
Badal said department heads would monitor the functioning of devices at headquarters while Deputy Commissioners would be responsible for the same at the district level.

A similar move by the Haryana government for its employees a few years ago was thwarted after the Education Department staff broke the biometric devices in a bid to undo the move aimed at ensuring their accountability.
The Bansi Lal-led government introduced the move for the first time in the state Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh in the late 1990s which was also thwarted by government employees.

The staff created chaos at the entry of the Civil Secretariat and broke the biometric devices, after which the government was forced to withdraw the unpopular move.
During the Sangat Darshan programme, the Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister hears public grievances and seeks to provide on-the-spot solutions.