Deemed resigned if absent for a year, says Punjab govt.

In Punjab over three lakh government employees have a reason to worry if they are absent from work continuously for a period of one year, without prior sanction of leave.

The State government last week conveyed to all departments that if any officer or employee remains absent from office for a period of one year without leave, he/she will be deemed to have resigned from service.

The government has a total of 3,10,460 employees as of March 2015, according to Economic and Statistical Organisation. There are another 1,03,411 semi government employees working in corporations, boards, municipal committees etc.

The letter issued by the Finance Department says that it had come to the notice of the government that many times, officers and employees remained absent from duty without prior sanctioning of leave. The administrative authority concerned remains unclear as to whether the officer or employee will join duty or not. This affects public services and office discipline.

The government says the relevant authority will pass the orders of relieving for such an officer or employee. Those not taking action in this regard will be held responsible.

To ensure that the government orders are implemented, the letter says that all departments before getting their budget passed from the Finance department will have to give it in writing that they do not have any such officer or employee.