Bhubaneswar: Making the attendance recording system of employees through biometric machine mandatory, the Odisha Rural Development department has directed them not to leave office no earlier than 5:30 pm.

The department added non recording of the office-out data will be treated as absent for the day from duty in respect of the concerned employee.

The department order stated, “All employees are supposed to come to office by 10 am and leave no earlier than 5:30 pm on all working days.”

However, a grace period of 30 minutes is allowed to include unforeseen circumstantial delays. 

An employee of the department has to ensure a minimum presence of 7 hours 30 minutes in the office on all working days, the order added.

“In case of medical and 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 office-out the concerned officer has to intimate his/her branch officer or competent authority in written,” the order stated.