No exit before 5:30 PM: Strict office timing directive for Odisha Rural Development dept employees

The Odisha government has issued a strict directive to all employees of the Rural Development department, mandating fixed office hours and warning against early departures. 

As per the new guidelines, staff must report to work by 10:00 AM and cannot leave before 5:30 PM under any circumstances.

The department has made it clear that each employee must spend a minimum of 7.5 hours in the office, ensuring full utilization of work hours and accountability in daily functioning. 

This decision has been taken to improve administrative efficiency and service delivery, especially in rural development initiatives.

Biometric Attendance System Mandatory

To ensure compliance, the department has instructed the use of biometric attendance systems. All staff are now required to register their entry and exit via biometric verification, leaving no room for proxy attendance or manipulation of working hours.

The move comes in response to increasing complaints about irregular attendance and premature departures by some employees, which officials believe has been hampering the progress of key government schemes in rural areas. 

With massive investments being made under various rural development programs, the Odisha government aims to enforce stricter discipline and ensure that the grassroots administrative machinery functions efficiently.

The department believes this step will help bring greater transparency, discipline, and efficiency in the functioning of one of the most vital sectors of governance — rural development.

How will be the Attendance Recording System?

The attendance recording system of R.D. Department shall be put to use in the following manner. 

All employees will have to record their "Office IN" and "Office Out" times through the Bio-metric attendance system installed in the corridor of the Department without fail on all official working days. 

Non recording of "Office Out" data will be treated as "absent for the day'' from duty in respect of the concerned employee. 

All employees are supposed to come to Office by 10:00 AM and leave no earlier than 5:30 PM on all working days. However, a grace period of 30 mins is allowed to include unforeseen circumstantial delays. 

An employee has to ascertain a minimum presence of 07 Hrs & 30 Mins in the office on all working days. 

In case of medical/ other emergencies, official tour or absence due to official work outside the Department premises or other unavoidable scenarios that will not permit the recording of "Office IN" and/or "Office Out", the concerned officer has to intimate his/her Branch Officer/ Competent Authority in mitten. 

Failure to comply to the 7 hour 30 Minutes of working hours shall warrant the disciplinary actions, including deduction of half day, casual leave if working hours is below 4 hours.