Thanks to a drive launched against absenteeism in the Delhi Government departments, rampant instances of absence or lack of punctuality were recorded last year, with the highest of 83 per cent reported in the Industries Department, an RTI application has revealed.
According to the monthly report collated in September last, 26 of the 31 staff in the Industries Department had turned up late for duty. Almost 50 per cent of the employees under the Social Welfare Department did not report on time. Among those found negligent were officials of the ranks of senior superintendent, superintendent, caretaker of shelter homes and welfare officials.
In the Labour Department, 88 of the 196 employees were late or absent. Statistics revealed that 106 of the 344 staff in the different Principal Accounts Offices were not punctual. However, the situation was far better in the PAO (Headquarters) with only one of the 74 employees found not present on time.
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The attendance in the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board was also not that encouraging, with 11 of the 38 staffers found not punctual. While 23.5 per cent absenteeism was recorded in the Rohini branch of the Irrigation and Flood Control and 21 per cent in the headquarters, in the office of Registrar Cooperative Societies 21.42 per cent of the employees were reported either late or absent. Of the 137 employees in the Directorate Health Services, 16 did not report on time.
Data collected for the period of July 25 to August 22 last year revealed hundreds of cases of absenteeism in the Delhi Transport Corporation on a daily basis. Several such instances were also reported from the Prison Headquarters. However, GTB Hospital recorded a high attendance of over 94 per cent last August.
In the Services Department, a unit reported 87 per cent absentees, another 53 per cent and the other 50 per cent.
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The punctuality drive was initiated in the State Government departments after Chief Secretary P. K. Tripathi in June last year issued a circular noting that: “It has been noticed that officers and staff are not adhering to punctuality in respect of office timing. Often officers and staff report for duty well after 10 a.m. that is not acceptable. All secretaries/heads of departments are directed to ensure that the staff under their jurisdiction report in time.”
The Chief Secretary also directed that surprise inspections be conducted at least once a week and weekly reports submitted.
However, it is alleged that in some departments the exercise was not undertaken properly despite the order.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary, which was also forwarded to the Joint Registrar-cum-Coordinator of the Delhi High Court, RTI applicant Anisha Ghosh of non-government organisation Pratidhi alleged that many departments, including the Women and Child Department, Health, Transport and Deputy Commissioners' offices, that directly dealt with the public had not conducted the drive.
“Biometric attendance system, as introduced in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Child Welfare Committees, must been installed to put a curb on absenteeism that directly impacts the output of the Government departments,” said an official.