Absenteeism among Govt employees: It's time to stem the tide
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: June 25 2012 -

On first impression, the response of ZEO, Chandel to the inquiry of Education Minister Moirangthem Okendro over the absence of a number of staffs from attending their duties at the office may sound like a leaf directly taken out from some comic plays, but on closer scrutiny one may realize that it is nothing but a tragedy that most government offices in Manipur have been experiencing for long.

Minister Okendro, who was on a surprise inspection visit, wanted to know why many of the staffs were absent, to which the ZEO insolently replied that they were not informed of the Minister's visit, implying that all the staffs would have come to attend office, if they have received prior information about the visit.

Not to be outdone and playing his part well, Minister Okendro mockingly assured that he would definitely inform about his surprise visit next time.

As the Minister has given necessary instruction to officials concerned for serving explanation calls to them, the poor six staffs which include one UDC, three Grade-IV employees, one Clerk and one DI, who were found absent from duty during the Minister's surprise visit would now be facing the music.

But the truth is that, it is not just these six truant staffs alone, who have been acting out similar roles in other Government offices, especially in the hill areas. There are many such employees who care two hoots about their jobs, yet expect to enjoy fat pay packages at the end of every month.

Absenteeism is a term used referring to absences from work places that are avoidable, habitual and unscheduled in nature. It is a problem that can be expensive.

Apart from reducing productivity of the absentee employees to zero following shortening of work-days in a week or for that matter in a calendar year, the growing trend of absenteeism among the government employees in Manipur has been a real bane towards ensuring effective administration in the state.

It is also at the root cause of many a delay in implementation of developmental projects in time, thus costing not only the state exchequer dearly but also adding to the inconveniences of the people.

The government of Manipur should wake up and take up necessary measures to control such disruptive absenteeism before more harm is done.

Other Ministers should also conduct similar surprise inspections in offices under their respective departments so as to understand how ordinary people suffer from the game of truancy that most government employees have come to assume as their birth rights to enjoy.

By the way, construction of roads and bridges that goes on without any visible sign of progress, infrastructure developmental works that show no hope of completion or laying of foundation stones for developmental projects only to remain exposing to the vagaries of weather for years could never push a lame-state like Manipur to join the race of development.

For a striving state, the government offices need to be buzzing with activities.

Deafening silence is something suitable to burial ground only. Period.