Thiruvananthapuram: The recent controversy over the mass leave availed by employees at Taluk Office, Konni, has brought the issue of punching in government offices back in the limelight.
In the latest development in this regard, it has been revealed that even after issuing a directive to implement punching in all state government offices having more than 20 employees by March 31 this year, only 18 of the around 100 departments have done so, till now.
The main offices of these 18 departments have been linked with ‘Spark’, the state government’s salary software which can cut automatically payments when an employee fails to punch.
Meanwhile, government authorities said that in the remaining departments, work was still underway to install punching machines and link the computer systems with ‘Spark.’
Punching was implemented at Government Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram a few years ago. The Chief Secretary had issued a circular to implement the system in all District Collectorates and offices of department heads by January 1 this year. However, the deadline was not met.
In many offices across Kerala, punching machines supplied by Keltron have been installed. However, they are yet to be connected to ‘Spark.’ There are more than 20 employees in 78 taluk offices in the state. But, punching is followed nowhere.
The main offices of various departments where full-fledged punching has been implemented so far are: the Directorate of Agriculture, Medical Examiner’s Laboratory, Directorate of Coir Development, Cooperative Vigilance headquarters, Cooperative Audit Directorate, Directorate of Culture, Office of the Drugs Controller, Excise Commissionerate, Directorate of Health Services, Directorate of Indian Systems of Medicine, Directorate of Insurance Medical Services, Office of the Labour Commissioner, Mining and Geology Directorate, Office of the Registration IG, Kerala State Planning Board, Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Backward Classes Development Department, and Directorate of Environment and Climate Change.
