Govt fixes 2 months time-frame for GAD, IT Deptt
Similar step to be taken in respect of other Govt offices
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 11: Now, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) will be used to regulate attendance and movement of employees from office premises in Jammu as well as Srinagar Civil Secretariat in order to ensure punctuality on the pattern of several Union Territories and States of the country.
A decision in this regard was taken in a recent high-level meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, who has also taken the initiative of shifting all the Head of Department offices to e-office by September 15, 2021.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that attendance of employees at both Secretariat offices came up for discussion in a meeting of Administrative Secretaries chaired by the Chief Secretary and accordingly Dr Mehta issued directions for introduction of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) based identity cards for the employees posted at Civil Secretariat Srinagar/Jammu.
“This step will regulate daily attendance and movement of personnel from office premises”, sources informed, adding “the General Administration Department has been asked to issue necessary orders for installation of RFID machinery including compatible readers and doors”. For this task, the Chief Secretary has fixed deadline of next two months and General Administration Department has been asked to consult Information Technology Department to finalize the project.
The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is the wireless non-contact use of radiofrequency waves to transfer data and it reads and captures information stored on a tag attached to an object providing a unique identifier for an object, sources informed, adding an RFID Reader has an antenna that emits radio waves and the tag responds by sending back data stored in it to Reader.
They further said that RFID based attendance system is being followed in many Union Territories and States in the country for being one of the solutions to address the problem. “This system can be used to take attendance in any office”, sources added.
“Based on the success of RFID in the Civil Secretariat in Jammu as well as in Srinagar, the Government will take decision about introduction of this system of monitoring attendance in other important offices and establishments”, they disclosed.
Till the roll out of RFID enabled Identify Cards, the I-Cards carrying QR/Bar Codes already ordered by the Government will continue to be issued to the Secretariat employees. The Information Technology Department is already under direction to provide necessary software solution along with QR Code and technical support by deputing one official for the purpose of issuance of new type Identity Cards.
“Directions have already been issued to all employees to deposit their Identify Cards with SSP (Security), Civil Secretariat and No Objection Certificate in this regard from the SSP Security Civil Secretariat will be a pre-requisite for the issuance of LPC/processing of pension cases”, sources said.
Disclosing that regulating attendance of employees in the Civil Secretariat has remained top priority of the Government, sources said, “Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Secretary want the seat of Government to be a perfect example of punctuality for all other offices and establishments in other parts of the Union Territory and RFID is a step in that direction”, adding “ever since the creation of J&K Union Territory the priority is to streamline the functioning of the Civil Secretariat as well as all other Government offices and e-office is a step in that direction”.
The Chief Secretary has already asked the Information Technology Department to ensure shifting of all Head of Department offices to e-office by September 15, 2021 and matter is being reviewed with Secretary IT Department by Dr Mehta after regular intervals.
It is pertinent to mention here that offices in the Civil Secretariat Jammu/Srinagar have already moved to e-office and this has brought an end to the hassle of maintaining files physically.
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