Zero reimbursement for secretariat staff mobile bills showing net usage
The babus in Rajasthan Secretariat are a confused lot. While the Central and State governments are promoting ‘go digital’, the state finance department responsible for clearing their cellphone bills says ‘no digital’. What’s more, if their bills contain data usage cost then they stand rejected. The finance department has no provision for making them digitally connected.
The matter concerns the officials and staff of the state secretariat, who get a mobile phone allowance, albeit with some restraints and restrictions. As per an order issued by the finance department around 2014, phone bills will now be cleared only when there is no internet date charges included. The accounts section is following orders and has turned down bills that contain internet usage.
The staff is surprised at this diktat as internet has become a part of their daily functioning. Most officers have formed WhatsApp groups to communicate with their team. Travel plans and meeting schedules are also communicated through the digital social platform. Still, many government employees are opting for only voice plans to get the phone bills reimbursed.
They are not liking it one bit, “Bills that contain internet usage are not getting cleared for last three years. …read more