Yogi Adityanath has told officials to either "work 18-20 hours a day, (or) make way."
Highlights
- UP Chief Minister has warned officials must work "18-20 hours" a day
- 2 ministers hold surprise check at their offices at 10 am
- Many employees late, salaries to be docked for a day
Within days of taking charge of Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had warned officials, "If you don't want to work 18-20 hours a day, make way."
Taking their cue from the top, two of his ministers today held surprise checks at their offices in Lucknow - and discovered their fears were not unfounded.
There was a profusion of latecomers in the agriculture ministry which so annoyed minister Surya Pratap Shahi that he had the building locked up after he found empty offices and unoccupied chairs at 10 am. Officials told news agency IANS that a third of the employees were missing at the time of his spontaneous survey.
The minister then reportedly ordered that those who were late would be docked a day's pay.
Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Waqf, Mohsin Raza also found many late comers and has asked for a report on the delinquents. He was also annoyed by the fact that despite being unoccupied, air-conditioners and fans were in use in many rooms, and he reproached his department for wasting electricity.
Mr Shahi said that employees should get over the "holiday hangover" being experienced in Uttar Pradesh for the last 15 years.
The minister said those marked absent today would lose a day's salary.
"The quantum of laxity in the office is very high. It is absolutely unjustified. The attendance in the office is very low. Those who have been marked absent today would face a pay cut of one day," he said.
(with inputs from agencies)