PANAJI
The State government is seemingly adopting the carrot-and-stick policy in dealing with staff in panchayats across the State, promising to give them the benefit of VII Pay Commission pay-scales soon but at the same time introducing a centrally-monitored facial recognition mechanism for attendance to ensure punctuality and rid absenteeism.
Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho, who was replying to the discussion on the demands for grants for the department said the AI-based facial recognition system will be introduced in all the panchayats in the State within the next six months.
He said, the State-owned Goa Electronics Limited (GEL) has been tasked to develop this facial recognition system.
Godinho also assured the House that a mechanism to rotate panchayat secretaires with a transfer policy will be brought in but urged legislators not to pressurise him then with requests on behalf of the transferred secretaries.
He was responding to allegations made by the MLAs that due to lack of a uniform transfer policy, panchayat secretaries remain posted in some panchayats for several years becoming powerful and a source of corruption.
Godinho admitted that there were complaints of high-handedness and corruption against some panchayat secretaries but claimed that whenever they are transferred, MLAs themselves approach him with requests to reverse the orders.
He urged the MLAs to refrain from such tactics once the new system is introduced to regulate transfers of these panchayat secretaries.
