more-in There is a marked improvement in the attendance rate among the employees of the Secretariat. It is the direct affect of the introduction of 30 biometric machines in September last year. And the figures speak for themselves: 17 departments registered more than 75% attendance and the overall attendance is between 69.44% and 79.53%.The State government last year found that more than one-third of employees were absent during May. The average absenteeism was more than 36% in all departments. It touched 43% during May — considered “highly alarming” — the permissible limit being 3.5% of leave reserve. Various reasons were attributed for the high level of absenteeism including leaving the office early on Fridays. As part of the initiatives to streamline the attendance, the government introduced the system amid vehement opposition from the employees. “There is a considerable improvement. The corrective measures to ensure full attendance are in the right direction,” says a senior official. According to information, the attendance was more than 74.34% in January which peaked to 79.53% in March. Likewise, it was 73.6% during the first half of May and 75.33% during the second half. It was 43% in May last year. Interestingly, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and the General Administration Department (GAD) were among the 13 departments that registered less than 75% attendance. The Backward Classes welfare department, which stood first with the highest absent man days of 61% last year, registered less than 75% attendance this year too. Around 2,000 people, including 1,865 Secretariat employees and around 120 senior IAS and IPS officers, are working in the Secretariat. It was observed, earlier, that some employees were leaving early on Fridays and coming late on Mondays as they had holidays on Saturday and Sunday.

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