Use an ATM and apply for leave: This is the North East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation’s (NEKRTC) web-based leave management system, said to be the first such system in the country, introduced with the intent of reducing complaints related to sanction of leave for employees.
The machine, designed like an ATM, is easy to operate. Kiosks are being set up at 32 depots of the NEKRTC and also at a few depots in Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).
There will be no human interference in the system. Due to its biometric capabilities, there can be no tampering of information related to employees, NEKRTC officials said.
The leave details of the employees will be stored in the central server. “An employee can access details of his/her available leaves and apply for it at the centre, 24x7. They have to press their finger on the screen of the machine and apply. Leave will be sanctioned on the availability in the employee’s account. It will also, depend on the percentage of employees who applied for leave on the same date,” an official explained.
If an employee wants emergency leave, he/she can apply 48 hours in advance, while regular leave has to be applied a month in advance. Maternity leave, however, has to be applied by submitting supporting documents to the depot manager.
Sanction or rejection of leave will be displayed on the screen and a printed receipt will be dispensed by the machine besides SMS and audio announcements. “Text and audio will be in Kannada. Leave will be sanctioned on the first-applied-first-sanctioned basis,” the official added.
The major benefit of the system is that it ensures transparency, curbs absence of employees at work, avoids manual maintenance of records, saves time and manpower and avoiding errors. The leave account sheet will be available for viewing to all employees at any time.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said, “The facility will be extended to other depots across the state soon. The system will solve a number of problems and reduce complaints with regard to sanction of leave.”