Dated: 23.12.2015
Pr. Chief Commissioner of Income Tax,
Mumbai.
Sir,
Sub:
Implementation of Aadhar Enabled Biometric Attendance –reg.
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The
department is in the process of implementing the Aadhar Enabled Biometric
Attendance System in Mumbai. We had in the meeting of the Committee for
implementation of Aadhar Enabled Biometric Attendance System on 17.12.2015 had
expressed various problems being faced by the employees which need to be taken
in to consideration before implementing the same. While fully supporting the
efforts of the administration in ensuring punctuality in the office, the
peculiar situation prevailing in the city of Mumbai needs to be factored-into
while implementing the Bio-metric attendance system. In this regard we would
like to place the following facts for your kind perusal and consideration.
1. Nearly
90% of the staff members of the department are staying in Eastern and Western
suburbs of Mumbai and has to travel 70-80 k.m. a day to reach office and back.
Some of them travel from as far as Pune and Dahanu. They are dependent on the
Suburban trains and many a time the trains are late due to various problems. Consequent
to implementation of the Biometric attendance system in most of the offices in
the city, the trains are too overcrowded and have led to commuters falling out
of the trains leading to their death. This has also been noted by the Hon’ble High
Court of Mumbai and it has suggested flexi timings with the observation that human
lives are more precious than punctuality.
2. In
the Income Tax Department cadres like Inspectors and Notice Servers have to
undertake outdoor duties which are of urgent and important nature for which
they have to go directly from home to serve notices or for enquiry. Naturally,
they may not be in a position to register their attendance in the morning even
though they are on duty. Once the biometric attendance system is introduced
they will have to register their presence after coming to office and again they
will have to come back to office to register their exit even if the person is
at a distant suburb on official duty of inquiry etc., which involve unnecessary
travelling.
3. The
Officers and Staff members who are on search operations have to report to duty
in the morning as early as 6.00 a.m. and the action continues for 2-3 days or
even more. Subsequently they are given a days off immediately after the search
operation is concluded. This hold good for the Survey action also. This is
peculiar to the Income tax department and the biometric attendance system will
be an impediment.
4. Further,
the staff members and officers are working beyond office hours and also on
Saturdays and Sundays and holidays from July to the end of the Financial Year
for completing the time barring assessment and also to meet the revenue
collection targets fixed by the Govt. Many of them do not even avail of their
holidays due to work pressure.
5. The
ultimate result of the implementation of the bio-metric attendance system will
be that the staff members will be entering the office at the specified time
after going through harrowing train travel and naturally prefer to leave office
at the designated time rather than put extra hours of work to clear the
time-barring work or for meeting the revenue collection targets. Further they
will prefer to enjoy their holidays rather than straining in attending the
office on holidays to clear the work-load as is the case today. It needs no
mention here that the department is working and also meeting revenue collection
targets in spite of the fact that there is an acute shortage of staff in the
department.
The
main purpose of introducing the bio-metric system is to bring about punctuality
the ultimate aim of which is increased productivity. However, if we take a
realistic look at the above facts it can be seen that as far as the Income Tax
department is concerned this will have an adverse impact in as much as a tired
and strained workforce will be reluctant to shoulder additional work burden.
It
is therefore requested to kindly take up the matter with the authorities
including the CBDT and FM to consider all the implications before the biometric
attendance system is introduced in the Income Tax Department in Mumbai. Till
then the implementation of the same may be put on hold.
Thanking
You,
Yours
faithfully,
Ravindran
B Nair
General
Secretary.
Copy to :
The Chairman
Aadhar Enabled Biometric Attendance
Committee
Income Tax Department, Mumbai.
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