Report to office once a week or face salary cut: Maharashtra warns state government employees

MUMBAI: The Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has warned state government employees of strict action if they avoid coming to office on the pretext of contracting the coronavirus infection.

In a new order, the state government employees have been instructed to reach their offices and register their attendance. It will now be mandatory for the state government employees to report to their offices for at least once in a week, failing which they will have to face salary cut.

The notification issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) Manoj Saunik states that “all government departments should prepare a roaster of officers and employees affiliated to them.’’

"All employees, except those on sanctioned leave or medical leave, will need to be in office for one day in a week compulsorily," the order read.

Disciplinary action will be taken by department heads against those who leave the office without permission during the lockdown, it stated.

If an employee remains absent during the assigned day, he/she will lose pay for an entire week, it warned. However, in case an employee has to be present in the office for more than a day every week, his salary would be cut only on the days he remained absent, the notification said.

The new order will come into effect from June 8. It may be noted that the coronavirus-triggered lockdown is in force till June 30. The notification was issued after it came to light that employees were not reporting to work during the lockdown and some had even left for their hometowns.

At present, government offices in Maharashtra are functioning with 5 per cent staff or 10 persons, whichever is more. 

However, the state government is now easing restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus and opening the government offices in a phased manner.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst COVID-19 affected state in India with the maximum number of deaths due to the deadly virus and the highest number of coronavirus infection cases in the country.