Kollam: The Kerala Government is all set to expand the biometric attendance punching system in all its departments and educational institutions. So far it has been implemented in the Secretariat, the seat of the government administration, after earlier moves to execute it across the board had faced backlash from staff associations.
The Education Department has issued a circular to complete the registration process for salary-linked biometric finger-print punching before December 24.
The punching system will be extended to other departments as well.
The government is in fact reviving the biometric punching system which had to be abandoned on several occasions in the past due to stiff opposition from a section of staff unions.
The offices which are not linked to salary disbursal software SPARK will have to procure their own punching machines and establish attendance management system. The heads of offices will have to examine the attendance of the staff working under them.
New norms
As per the system all late-comers will face salary cuts and repeated late arrival to office will be considered as leave. An employee will be entitled to a maximum of one hour grace time per day. In the Secrerariat the existing monthly grace time is between 180 minutes to 300 minutes. A similar system is likely to be introduced in all other offices.
The system of staff coming early and completing seven hours work according to their own convenience will be done away with.
Officials going to other offices to discharge their official responsibilities will have the facility of punching in the respective office they visit.
