Parmesh S Jain

The Health Department has taken a big step to increase accountability of its staff by implementing biometric attendance system.

Under the new system,the salaries of officers, doctors and staff will be based on the attendance.

This will bring a qualitative change in the department by ushering more discipline, accountability and efficiency,said Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar.

Speaking to reporters after the Health Department’s review meeting on Monday, Sudhakar said that he had received several complaints from elected representatives and members of the public that doctors and other staff were not available at hospitals and office during working hours.

The indiscipline of government officials will impact delivery of public healthcare services.

So,I have given instructions to cut the salary of those who weren’t present during working hours.

All hospitals and other offices under the Health Department will be installed with a biometric attendance system (AEBS) which will record the attendance based on the Aadhar Card of the doctors,officers and staff,he said.

Biometric attendance had been stopped due to COVID-19,but,it has again been made mandatory from the past two months.

This has been conveyed through several meetings and circulars.However,some staffers and officers still haven’t been registering biometric attendance.

Now,a proper warning and an order has been issued.If anyone fails to register biometric attendance,they will be marked absent and will receive a pay cut, he said.

Responsibility of the DDO

It is the responsibility of all DDOs (salary drawing officer) to check all AEBS under their jurisdiction and submit a report on providing salaries to the concerned DHO.

They will inspect the report and provide directions about releasing and withholding salaries.Higher officers will inspect the work of DHOs.

If anyone is found to have less than 80% attendance, their payment will be withheld and further actions will be taken.

In case they have an attendance of 80%, the salary will be released and they will be questioned about the reason for the 20% absence and a notice will be served.

If the reason for absence is genuine,the matter will be closed.In case,the information is false,a portion of the pay will be reduced from the next month’s salary.

If salaries are given without verifying the attendance,the DDOs will be held responsible and action will be taken against them.If the supervision is improper,action will also be taken against the DHO.

Weekly review

In the weekly review of the Health Department,a review about the attendance and salaries will also be taken.

If there is any lacuna in the implementation of the new rule, strict action will be taken.

The doctors,officers and staff have been instructed to register their attendance thrice a day.Separate times have been set for hospitals and offices,Minister Sudhakar said.

“Timetable for attendance:

1. Administration offices: 10 am, 1 pm and 5.30 pm.
2. Hospitals: 9 am, 1 pm and 4.30 pm.
3. Those working in shifts at hospitals.
   a. First shift: 8 am, 11 am and 2 pm.
   b. Second shift: 2 pm, 5 pm and 8 pm.
   c. First shift: 8 pm, 12 am and 8 am (next day).
4. Special circumstances (Accident, Emergency. service and surgeries): In case doctors and attending staff can’t register their attendance thrice a day due to special circumstances,the district surgeon or administrating medical officers can provide exemptions on those days. However,a mandatory attendance has to be registered at entry and exit.

Dr.Sudhakar appreciated Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Department D.Randeep for leading by example in registering biometric attendance sincerely.

Total number of institutions under the Health Department: 3,230.

Total number of officers and staff: 65,318.

Parmesh S Jain

The RR Nagar police on Thursday arrested a gang of three involved in house break thefts and recovered valuables worth Rs.28 lakh from them.

The accused have been identified as Vinod raj, Saleem Rafiq and Bilal Mondal .

Senior officer told media persons,that all the the trio are habitual offenders and met at Parappana Agarahara while serving sentence for a previous cases and teamed up .

After coming out of prison on bail,four months ago,the accused resorted to their profession and vinod raj was assigned to recce and identifiy locked house,while Saleem and Bilal went to Mumbai.

As per the plan Vinod raj worked to provide logistic help and went around the areas to target locked houses and alerted Saleem and Bilal.

The duo had flew down from Mumbai to Bengaluru and stayed with Vinod Raj for few days before breaking into a house in RR Nagar and looted valuables on March 26,when the family had gone to the temple .

Based on a complaint the police analyzed the CCTV footage from in and around the area and identified Vinod Raj and arrested him.

Based on his confession the police arrested Saleem and Bilal and recovered the gold and silver valuables worth Rs 28 lakh from them.

The police have also seized a car and a motorcycle from Vinod Raj who was using them to recce the area.

Parmesh S Jain

The Anti-Narcotics Wing of CCB officials on thursday arrested a Nigerian National and seized MDMA crystals worth Rs 70 lakh from him.

Based on the information,a team of police rushed to a Banasawadi main road where the accused was waiting to deliver the drugs to his clients .

The police team recovered 800 grams of MDMA crystals and a mobile phone and a hand held electronic weighing machine from him.

The accused confessed that he sourced the drugs from his contacts in Mumbai brought it to the city by train and sell it to his clients for a price ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000.

The accused did not have any travel document with him.The accused has been booked under NDPS Act and taken into custody for further investigations.

Parmesh S Jain

Rudra Gowda and Ayyali Desai,the gunman of Afzalpur MLA MY Patil,have been arrested in connection with the irregularities in PSI recruitment test.

The probe would go to the bottom of the irregularities,Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

Speaking to media persons in Kalaburagi Bommai said,arrangements were made on the lines of UPSC recruitment test.

Irregularities had been perpetrated despite the tight security and transparent system.We want to put an end to this,Bommai said.

Officials were instructed to conduct a thorough preliminary investigation immediately after getting the complaint about irregularities.

The case was handed over to CID when differences were noticed in answer scripts. Instructions have been issued for speedy and transparent investigation without wasting the time.

Heads of educational institutions in Kalaburagi have been questioned.The head of Jnanajyothi School is absconding.Search is on to nab him.

Ayyali Desai,gunman of Congress MLA MY Patil and Rudra Gowda have been arrested,Bommai said.

The candidates who passed the exam too would be questioned and a thorough investigation would be conducted,Bommai said.

Divya Hagaragi is not holding any responsible post in the BJP.Stringent action would be taken against anyone who is involved in this case.

CID has been given a free hand to conduct the probe.Other parties have the record of covering up similar cases during their regimes.

We can recall times when PSI tests were conducted 3-4 times,Bommai said.

Reacting to the demand from opposition parties for a Court supervised probe or CBI probe, Bommai said,a decision on the further course would be taken after getting the interim report of the probe.

Parmesh S Jain

We do not have any soft corner towards JDS. They are doing their politics and we are doing ours,Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

Speaking to media persons in Chikkanayakanahalli he rejected the view that HD Kumaraswamy is having a soft corner for BJP.

Reacting to the call he received from HD Deve Gowda,he said,Deve Gowda is our senior.He called me and asked when I would be returning to Bengaluru.He wanted me to call him on my return to Bengaluru,Bommai said.

Parmesh S Jain

A HIgh Level Committee headed by a retired High Court Judge and comprising an Economic Expert and a Technical Expert of the concerned department has been constituted to scrutinise tenders above Rs.50 cr, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

Addressing a media conference in Shivamogga Bommai said,the Committee has been constituted under the KTTP Act.

The tenders would be awarded only after the Committee scrutinises the estimates,tender pre-conditions and other aspects.

The Committee will start functioning within the next few days. If the number of tenders is too many, then a parallel committee would be constituted to ensure speedy processing of the tenders.”

No oral orders

Officials have been instructed not to award any works on oral orders in Urban Development and Rural Development departments.

Action would be initiated against the concerned Engineer,Assistant Engineer,Section Officers.

In rural areas PDO and EO would be held responsible.Clear orders have been passed in this regard, Bommai said.

Investigation is on in Santosh Patil Suicide case

Replying to a question about the percentage culture in the government and Santosh Patil suicide case, Bommai said, “it is very important to control this.

But the Santosh Patil suicide case is different. Here bills have been claimed after executing works on oral orders.

So a thorough investigation is on from RDPR to the Police department. The two issues cannot be equated.”

Responding to another question on irregularities in tenders of below Rs.50 cr at district level, the Chief Minister said, after watching the functioning of the High Level Committee, we will constitute committees at the district level too if necessary because the development works should not get bogged down.

The Chief Minister assured effective measures for addressing the power problems in rural areas. “We have surplus power.

But the issue is distribution and transmission.So we have approved the setting up of 100 new sub stations.

The problem is more acute in Northern Karnataka.Higher grants have been provided to stabilise transmission and distribution systems in the region,” Bommai said.

Reacting to a question about caste census report, Bommai said, the backward Classes Commission has been asked to submit its report. Suitable measures would be taken as it has long term implications.

Cabinet reshuffle

In response to a question on cabinet expansion or reshuffle, the Chief Minister said,it is not about my prerogative.In politics you have to make the right decisions at the right time.”

Replying to a question on revival of VISL in Bhadravati Bommai said,the issue has been discussed with the union government.

VISL is being privatised.We have requested permission to utilise excess land for setting up new industries leaving out the land required for VISL.

As for revival of MPM no response has been received for its revival proposal and hence a suitable decision would be taken in the High Level Committee.

Reacting to opposition demand to publish details about Maulvis in mosques, “the intelligence department and the police are taking several measures. It is not necessary to disclose all those details,” Bommai said.

Parmesh S Jain

Following a series of fatal accident killing three persons including a school girl,the traffic police on Wednesday cracked whip on BBMP garbage trucks and launched a special drive to check the fitness certificates and the drivers who are under the radar for their rash and negligent driving.

In a special drive held across the traffic divisions under the supervision and able guidance of DCPs,as,Kuldeep Kumar R Jain,Smt Savitha S,Shantharaju M,ACPs,PI,and staff conducted a special a massive drive a awareness campaign drive to the drivers across the city.

The drive started early in the morning 6am and day along a awareness campaign and checks were carried out the Bengaluru Traffic police across city checked 652 vehicles seized nine trucks and booked 307 vehicles under various violations.

Joint Commissioner of Police,Traffic,BR Ravikanthe Gowda,said that drive was launched after a meeting with the BBMP officials and to keep a tab on drivers.

It may be recalled that within a span of one month three persons including a schoolgirl in Hebbal,then a senior citizen and a bank employee lost their lives for rash and negligent driving.

This has results in huge outcry from the members of general public accusing the BBMP for these death caused due to bad roads, water-filled underpasses and even water logging on the roads .

The traffic police during a meeting with the BBMP officials advised them to install speed governors to the truck to ensure controlled speed limits in the city .

The police have also detained a truck driver under drunk and drive during the drive and seized his vehicle.

The drive would continue to monitor the behavior of the truck drivers and to ensure they follow traffic rules.

Parmesh S Jain

As many as 45 candidates who secured highest marks in the PSI recruitment written examination results appeared before the CID officials on Wednesday and submitted their documents including the OMR carbon sheets and hall tickets .

The CID had summoned 50 candidates out of which 45 appeared and five of them are absent.

The officials are now checking the reason behind the absent .

A team of officials cross checking the candidates OMR copies with the evaluated OMR copies obtained from the office concerned.

The CID officials have also questioned few candidates and recorded their statements.

There are as many as 545 candidates selected for the post and a set of candidates appeared for the written exam at a private college which was turned into exam centre owned by BJP leader have secured highest marks.

It was alleged that the candidates have paid huge amount to the accused and left the OMR sheets empty,which later filled with correct answers allegedly by the invigilators.

Bengaluru: With the much awaited expansion or reshuffle of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai-led cabinet in Karnataka taking time, voices of discontent seems to be brewing within the ruling BJP, with party MLA M P Renukacharya on Wednesday openly expressing displeasure about the delay and working of few ministers.

The MLA, who is also the Chief Minister’s political secretary, said several party legislators are of similar opinion and felt that if new faces are inducted into the cabinet, they would work aggressively and bring good name to BJP and the government ahead of 2023 assembly polls.

“I would not like to speak on cabinet exercise, as it is left to the discretion of the Chief Minister, who after discussion with national leadership has to take a decision, but expectations of the legislators was that the vacant berths must be filled as many ministers are holding additional portfolios,” Renukacharya said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said if new faces are given a chance in the cabinet, they will work aggressively and get a good name to the government and the party.

“Instead of keeping the berths vacant, they should be given to new faces…this is not my option alone, but of several legislators. It (expansion) should not have been delayed for so long, it should have been done at the earliest, but not sure why it got delayed,” he added.

There are currently 29 ministers in the state cabinet, including the Chief Minister, as against the sanctioned strength of 34.

Pointing out that only eight to nine months are left for the next assembly polls, Renukacharya said “For a person to prove his ability (as a minister), minimum two to three years is required…one should not become minister for namesake and be limited to the third floor of Vidhana Soudha (where offices of ministers are located).”

In response to a question, he said the incumbent ministers should be more aggressive and he is “not satisfied” with them.

“I’m not blaming any one, but they should be aggressive and there should be speed….Ministers are not properly responding to allegations made against the government by the opposition Congress, everything should not be left to the Chief Minister or the party to handle. Everyone has responsibility,” he said.

Asking ministers to introspect as to how many of them spoke when hijab, halal and azaan issues came up, Renukacharya asked, “Is only chair and selfishness important? Didn’t you want Hindutva? I’m not saying target minority community, but speak against anti-national elements and for the government.”

With polls scheduled next year, there is pressure mounting on the CM to expand or rejig his cabinet soon, after the assembly elections in five states recently.

Bommai had recently said he would get to know about cabinet expansion or reshuffle only after discussing with the BJP high command.

Some legislators have even been advocating a Gujarat-like overhaul of the Karnataka Cabinet soon, to make way for new faces, ahead of the assembly elections next year.

The cabinet exercise will be crucial ahead of the assembly elections, in which the saffron party aims to return to power once again, and has set a target of winning a minimum of 150 seats in the 225-member House.

Parmesh S Jain

Strict screening and surveillance on travellers from 8 countries witnessing spike in cases

164th TAC Summary:

1.Special surveillance of International passengers.

• The international arrivals from these countries-China,Hong Kong,South Korea, Vietnam,Japan,Thailand,Germany,Italy,Australia, UK shall be subjected to following measures of surveillance.

• At the Airport -Thermal screening and checking of 2 dose/full vaccination certificate.

• At the residence-Daily tele-monitoring for Covid-19 symptoms and testing.

• Genomic surveillance of those who test positive.

2. Advisory on face masking in public areas.

• It is recommended to wear face mask in public areas particularly in closed spaces,crowds and during close conversations.

3. Ongoing clinical surveillance at Victoria hospital.

• Clinical surveillance for new symptoms and emergence of new variant is in progress.

4. Surveillance in animals for Covid-19.

• It is recommended to initiate this in collaboration with Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary biological,Hebbal,Bengaluru.

5. Ongoing sewage surveillance.

• ICMR in collaboration with BBMP is conducting sewage surveillance for Covid-19 and this shall be correlated with Covid-19 testing results in the corresponding areas.

Please ensure that all your vaccination doses are completed at the earliest,urged Health Minister K Sudhakar after an meeting with the COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee amid a rise in of cases of the XE variant of COVID-19 in some foreign countries.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting Minister Sudhakar stated that there was an increase XE variant COVID-19 cases in 8 different countries including China,Hong Kong,South Korea,UK and Germany.

Additionally,he also stated that there was an increase of XE cases in Delhi and Haryana.

After the meeting Sudhakar said that the TAC has suggested thermal screening,strict surveillance, mandatory quarantine for a period of 7-10 days for passengers arriving from these eight countries.

Govt will soon release guidelines regarding this. Additionally, he urged people to wear masks, stating that IIT Kanpur has predicted another COIVD-19 wave around June and July.

He stressed on the fact that many haven’t completed their second dose.

4.77 crore (98%) of people under the 60+ category have taken the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine and only 49% of people have taken their precautionary dose.

There already is a declined immunity in this age group.I urge everyone to please complete all doses,” Minister Sudhakar said.

“Some have blamed the government for the COVID-19 wave and shortage of vaccine in the past.

Now,there is an adequate supply and we have made several requests to people to take the vaccine.People should take the vaccine and cooperate with the government,he added.

He said that among the 15-17 age group, 25,11,407 people out of 30,00,000 had taken the vaccine amounting to 79% and only 65% had taken the second dose.

Among the 12-14 age group,only 13,96,000 children have received the vaccine out of 20,00,000 amounting to 69%.

He urged parents to have their children vaccinated.As there are no vaccines for young kids,Sudhakar said that 5000 children will be tested across the state as per the recommendation of the TAC.

Price cap must be followed

We have received complaints of some hospitals overcharging for vaccines.The government will not tolerate this.

A high-level meeting has been held and committee has been formed in this regard. The capped prices for CT scans,MRI etc.

Must be considered as the new prices for future and not just for COVID-19.All officers have been given instructions in this regard.

Labs should not charge higher cost than the cap fixed by the government.If this rule is violated, the government has the right to revoke the license of the lab or hospital,he said.