The Times of India 25.04.2013
MMC gets nod to go ahead with biometric system
MARGAO: The director of
municipal administration, Elvis Gomes, on Wednesday gave his nod to the
Margao Municipal Council (MMC) to go ahead with the implementation of
the biometric attendance system for its employees.
Stating that it was within the jurisdiction of the council to determine as to how the attendance of its employees is to be recorded, Gomes is learnt to have take told the chief officer, Deepali Naik, to treat those refraining from using the biometric attendance system as unauthorizedly absent.
Gomes also drew the attention of the chief officer to the government circular issued in November 2010 about the introduction of biometric attendance system in all offices.
Gomes' approval of the MMC's new attendance system follows a meeting held by him with Naik in Panaji on Wednesday. Though the Goa municipal employees association(GMEA) was also called for the meeting, there was no representation of the employees at the meeting.
Speaking to TOI later, Naik said that she would issue an order on Thursday, directing all the employees to use only the biometric attendance system for registering their attendance, as the muster roll system stands withdrawn. "This order will supersede all earlier orders issued by me over the biometric attendance system," Naik said.
Unauthorized absence following non-use of the attendance system will result in deduction of wages of the respective employees, she added.
Significantly, Naik has already issued show cause notices to over 60 employees last week for failing to record their attendance on the biometric attendance system that has been implemented in the MMC since April 16. Asked about it, Naik said that the show cause notices would stand and it would reflect in the service records of those employees.
The GMEA is opposing the new attendance system on the grounds that there is no such provision in the statutes governing the service rules of the municipal employees.
Naik, when questioned, dismissed the argument. "The MMC is an autonomous body, and therefore whatever orders or circulars are issued by the chief officer, they are binding on the employees," Naik stressed.
Stating that it was within the jurisdiction of the council to determine as to how the attendance of its employees is to be recorded, Gomes is learnt to have take told the chief officer, Deepali Naik, to treat those refraining from using the biometric attendance system as unauthorizedly absent.
Gomes also drew the attention of the chief officer to the government circular issued in November 2010 about the introduction of biometric attendance system in all offices.
Gomes' approval of the MMC's new attendance system follows a meeting held by him with Naik in Panaji on Wednesday. Though the Goa municipal employees association(GMEA) was also called for the meeting, there was no representation of the employees at the meeting.
Speaking to TOI later, Naik said that she would issue an order on Thursday, directing all the employees to use only the biometric attendance system for registering their attendance, as the muster roll system stands withdrawn. "This order will supersede all earlier orders issued by me over the biometric attendance system," Naik said.
Unauthorized absence following non-use of the attendance system will result in deduction of wages of the respective employees, she added.
Significantly, Naik has already issued show cause notices to over 60 employees last week for failing to record their attendance on the biometric attendance system that has been implemented in the MMC since April 16. Asked about it, Naik said that the show cause notices would stand and it would reflect in the service records of those employees.
The GMEA is opposing the new attendance system on the grounds that there is no such provision in the statutes governing the service rules of the municipal employees.
Naik, when questioned, dismissed the argument. "The MMC is an autonomous body, and therefore whatever orders or circulars are issued by the chief officer, they are binding on the employees," Naik stressed.
