Navi Mumbai: In a bid to ensure transparency and punctuality in government offices, Sajag Nagrik Manch, a civic advocacy group, has submitted a memorandum to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde demanding the mandatory implementation of face recognition-based attendance systems in all government establishments in Navi Mumbai, including NMMC, CIDCO, and Konkan Bhavan.
The demand aligns with the state government’s ongoing 100-day action plan aimed at introducing time-bound, citizen-friendly governance reforms through modern technology. As part of this initiative, the government has declared a Seva Pakhwada (Service Fortnight) from April 28 to May 12, during which departments are expected to deliver public services within stipulated time frames.
Despite these efforts, the Manch claims that lack of punctuality and irregular attendance by staff continues to plague key government departments. Citing information obtained through the Right to Information Act, the group highlighted that many employees, especially in NMMC, CIDCO, and Konkan Bhavan, report to work well past official hours—sometimes as late as 11 a.m.—even though office timings are clearly stated as 9:45 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. (9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for CIDCO).
According to Sajag Nagrik Manch member Pradeep Kashalkar, officials often dismiss the need to adhere to biometric attendance systems, claiming they are not applicable to them. He stressed that only by implementing Aadhaar-linked facial recognition technology can the government ensure accountability and restore public trust in its functioning.
“Until officials are present in the office during the designated hours, none of the state’s citizen-centric policies will deliver the desired outcomes,” said Kashalkar.
