The proposal by the Kerala Government for five-day work week
for its employees is borne out of financial emergency rather than any ingenious
plan to improve administration. The
proposal is just like the drivel model pension age hike and the contributory
pension.
The services by Kerala Government employees are very poor.
The Chief Minister’s much said “Mass contact programme” is pointer to this. If
employees do their designated work on time there would arise no mass contact
programme. As it stands now, the lessening
of a work day result in poorer services for the public though there is no much
gain for government expenditure. Just as
an instance I may quote one.
There is an office at Ernakulam called the office the Deputy
Director of Collegiate Education. This office is meant for looking the service
need of all the teaching and non-teaching staff members of 33 aided colleges
associated with. The action on service and pension papers of many staff members
are long overdue at this office. There
are teachers working in affiliated colleges for about two years since
appointment without salary due to the inefficacy of this office. None is bothered to see the employees
available there do their work. It is learnt from a college clerk visiting DD
office that the clerk in duty of dealing with pension papers attend the office
only once in week. Does it mean that if 5 day week is implemented this clerk
would never attend his office? The superior officer who is about to retire soon
is least bothered in correcting his junior because of his future pension
apprehensions.
So, the Government planning to improve administration should
see that the employees are present in their office in time and doing their
duty. The habit of leaving the office for union meet after putting signature
should be made illegal. An immediate accountability check of the staff
is more important than executing five day drill for them.
K A Solaman The New Indian Express published on 15 Oct
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