Resolution passed in protest against Aadhar Card based Biometric Attendance System for the Central Govt Employees

Resolutions Adopted by the

6^TH Federal Council Meeting of

 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF CIVIL ACCOUNTS ASSOCIATIONS

Held at Cochin

on 17^th and 18^th September 2014

IN PROTEST AGAINST BIOMETRIC ATTENDANCE SYSTEM

The 6^th Federal Council meeting of the National Federation of Civil Accounts Associations held at Cochin on 18^th and 19^th September 2014 discussed the decision of Govt. of India to introduce the Aadhar Card based biometric attendance system for the Central Govt. Employees.

The meeting observed that introduction of Aadhar based attendance and punctuality in the offices-

(a)   Every employee is expected to be on seat and to start work at the prescribed opening of office hour. Ten minutes grace time may be allowed in respect of arrival time to cover up any unforeseen      contingencies.

(b)   (i) Every employee should note down the time of arrival and departure under his /her initial in ink in the Attendance Register(S 37)

(ii) The Register should be initialed at the bottom by the Section Officer.

(iii) The Register should be sent to the Branch Officer 10 minutes after the prescribed arrival time.

(c)    (i) The Section Officer will see that the entries are made correctly.

(ii) The section Officer will draw the attention of the Branch Officer to the names of the person(s) who frequently or habitually late.

(iii) The section officer shall denote prescribed abbreviations for non- attendance by any official

This system of recording attendance and watching the punctuality of individual government servants and the portrait of his/her attendance and non- attendance is in vogue from a date prior to independence and its efficacy was never questioned by the Administrative Reforms Committees of any of the six Central Pay Commissions. The administrations of Government departments have been most effectively maintaining the punctuality and discipline in the offices for the last seven decades by using the omnibus register for maintaining the attendance and punctuality. 

The meeting felt that giving publicity of the decision of enforcing attendance in a disproportionate manner is retrograde and derogatory to the dignity of the employees and officers of Central Government establishments. The electronic and print media are using this internal administrative decision of the Central Government as an instrument to malign the officers and employees of Central Government which is untenable.   

The meeting also noted that the Aadhar Card based biometric attendance system is nothing but pointing of fingers towards the integrity of the employees & officers of central Government establishments. Before taking such decisions, the Government did not bring the fact of deteriorations in the position of attendance and punctuality if any, in the National Council JCM justifying the requirement to replacing the manual system by machine. As per the Government of India, Department of Personnel and Training OM. No. 3/42/87-JCA dated 28^th January 1988 read with clause 8(Jurisdiction and functions) of JCM  the Staff side is to be consulted before introduction of any new Technology.

The meeting therefore, urges upon the Govt. of India to delink the Aadhar Card from the process of implementation of Biometric attendance system and before implementing the new scheme of biometric attendance system in the Central Government Offices, take the following actions-

1.      Discuss the issue of introduction of Biometric attendance system/Adhar Card based Biometric Attendance system in the National Council(JCM)  and  Departmental Council (JCM)

And

2.      Upgrade infrastructure and communication system in all cities of the country or introduce pickup point system for the employees & officers so that they could report for duty in time.

The meeting also urges upon the Government of India not to consider introduction of aadhar card based attendance. The National Federation of Civil Accounts Association stands for strict implementation of punctuality, discipline and work culture in all central Govt. offices and extend its full support and co-operation to maintain punctuality and discipline in the offices.

The meeting Resolves to forwarded the Resolution to the Cabinet Secretary, Controller General of Accounts, the Secretary, staff side National Council (JCM) and the Secretary General, Confederation of Central Government Employees & workers.

(T.R. Janardanan)

President

Our comments:

It is  bring to the readers that our Association has already published a write up "Negation of the promises" elsewhere in this web site wherein we have explained the ill affect of  biometric punching machines. Full text of the item is given below:

4.         Installation of Biometric punching machine

Now the Government of India has announced installation of biometric punching machine in all its offices in a phased manner and the same are being linked with Aadhar. In this series most of the Government Offices functioning in Delhi has already been installed and the remaining offices have been asked to install the machine immediately. But, merely installing biometric punching machine and asking the employees to report duty in time will not solve the issue. A section of employees especially employees belong to lower income group working in Delhi offices are living outside Delhi. It has come to know that persons residing more than 150 Kms away from Delhi are attending duties in Delhi offices by travelling local trains & other conveyance.  What prevent them to stay in Delhi? First reason is non allocation of Government building in the nearby places of their posting. Secondly, the living cost of Delhi is not bearable to a low class employee because the successive pay commissions and Governments neglected them. According to the 6^th Pay Commission pay structure MTS, LDC or the posts with equivalent grade would not get net monthly salary more than Rs. 14000-16000. How they manage a family with this meager amount. So they used to live in the joint family the home villages in the nearby areas of Delhi. Since the human being value of humanity is above than everything, Government should study and solve the problems faced by this section also.