'Neither on-site, nor in seat'; Minister warns action on PWD staff for wilful dereliction of duty

Kerala's Minister for PWD, PA Muhammad Riyas has proposed setting up a regular monitoring system to put an end to willful dereliction of duty at government offices under his department.

The minister commented after a surprise visit to the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) office in the Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, where he claims to have found serious lapses on the part of a few members of the staff.

According to the minister, several seats were vacant and those who had availed leave had not returned to work on time. "They are neither on-site nor in their seats," the minister told media persons after the visit.

"A movement register is not maintained and contract staff has not been seen in the office for days," the minister said after his visit.

"A majority of the staff in government offices do their work promptly, but a minority takes an unacceptable stand. Not only do they skip their responsibilities, but they also indulge in wrong practices. That cannot be accepted.

KRFB undertakes various city-road improvement projects throughout the state and is also engaged in the Smart City Project in Thiruvananthapuram.

"We are planning to use technology to constantly monitor the functioning of these offices under the supervision of the PWD Secretary and the minister's office," he added. PWD Secretary Ajit Kumar accompanied the minister during the inspection.