Soon Biometric Attendance System in all Punjab Offices: Sukhbir Badal

New Delhi/Chandigarh, August 30, 2014: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today decided to install Biometric Attendance devices in each and every public office in Punjab at Chandigarh as well as in districts and other field offices to ensure punctuality and discipline amongst public servants with a view to facilitate common masses.

While adding new chapter in ongoing series of Sangat Darshans by holding his maiden Sangat Darshan Programme here for on the spot solution of public issues, Badal while resolving a plaint regarding deficient presence of some officers of Revenue Department directed the Punjab Chief Secretary to prepare a detailed proposal for installation of Biometric Attendance System in all Punjab offices. He assured the complainants that the government would complete this project on priority to avert the harassment being faced by general public in future. He said that the Biometric devices would be linked with a centralised control room to keep record of employee timings.

Badal said department heads would monitor the function of devices at headquarter while Deputy Commissioners would be responsible for same at district levels.

On the issue of maintenance of Dhanis besides providing basic amenities there, the Deputy CM announced that the state was preparing a policy to facilitate the residents of Dhanis with uninterrupted power supply and other basic amenities. He also said that the canals flowing beside the villages would be cleansed regularly before the season so the farmers could use the water so available for irrigation purpose. He said for this purpose the State was contemplating a policy under which a committee would be formed in each district comprising Executive Engineers of Irrigation Department and local residents and farmers.

On a plaint to initiate an enquiry of link road, which was being built in Abohar from village Bahawal to Kera Khera near Balluana, Badal asked Secretary PWD P.S. Aujla to look into the matter. Badal said the report in this regard should be submitted in a week.

Deputy Chief Minister also directed the heads of all departments, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Police Commissioners, Senior Superintendents of Police, Senior Power and Revenue officers to patiently hear the public grievances besides ensuring timely justice delivery. He said all concerned authority should resolve the public plaints within a week reducing the pendency of complaints.

Meanwhile, Badal resolved more than 377 complaints on the spot out of total 417 and reports have been sought from concerned authorities in rest of cases. The complaints were pertaining to Revenue, Police, Electricity, Irrigation, PWD, Panchayats and Local Bodies department.

Badal also gave a call to common masses to come forward with their relevant issues, if any, in Sangat Darshan Programs so that closes check could be maintained on efficiency and functioning of public offices.

Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included PS Aujla, Principal Secretary to Deputy CM, Ajay Mahajan and Manvesh Singh Sidhu both Special Principal Secretaries to Deputy CM and senior officers of various departments.