Implementation of biometric system in hostels is facing a 'dozen hurdles'

Government hostels were given computers a year ago itself

The PWD has already provided all equipment necessary to record the information about the students. The process of recording, however, is yet to begin. The reason given is that there is no Internet connection!

Plans to prevent

The Government brought into force the biometric system to stop the corruption in government hostels last year. It is said that the fear that implementation of the system would ‘cause a loss for the monthly revenue’, led to an organised conspiracy, which prevented the biometric system from coming into force in the taluk.

The new system requires a daily update of information like the number of students in the hostel, the number of people who used the mess for lunch, dinner and/or breakfast as well as expenditure for the day’s supplies. This information reaches the authorities through the Internet. Therefore, discrepancy cannot set in.

‘Adjustments’

There are contractors who supply food items and stationery to the hostels. They bribe the supervisors into adjusting the purchase of the supplies. There is an allegation that the supervisors pocket their share in the money given by the contractors and purchase things for the hostel from whatever is left.

Many hostels have inmates who are residents of neighbouring villages. They come to the hostels only for afternoon meals. Also, in contrast, in some places, the hostels are at a greater distance than the schools and colleges too.

Students find it difficult to travel so far. Therefore, they do no go to the hostels in the afternoons. Therefore, all students who are registered as staying in a hostel might not have food there.

Yet, the supervisors prepare the bills including such students also. All such acts of discrepancy will be checked if the biometric system is brought into the hostel activities.

Warning

Social Welfare Minister Anekal A Narayanaswamy paid a visit to the hostel in Kolar on Saturday. He warned that authorities who do not impement the system in the hostels would be dismissed.

People are waiting to find whether at least the warning will force the authorities to bring the biometric system into force in the taluk.