MVD issues new SOP for field duty, mandates facial recognition attendance

Idukki: Motor vehicles department (MVD) has issued a new standard operating procedure (SOP) aimed at making field duty, attendance marking and declaration of personal cash held by officials more transparent and uniform across the state. Transport commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam issued the order containing the new directives.The new SOP introduces extensive arrangements for officials who proceed directly to field duty without reporting at the office first. All officials assigned to field duty must mandatorily record their attendance through ‘facial recognition attendance’ via a dedicated app for this on their mobile phones before commencing duty, new SOP states.Officials travelling in MVD vehicles must, before starting the journey, enter details of the personal cash in their possession in the temporary cash declaration register kept in the vehicle and mark attendance through facial recognition system. Those reporting for duty intheir own vehicles must declare details of the cash they carry immediately upon reaching the workplace, before beginning duty. If required, these details may be recorded in the driving licence test attendance list, certificate of fitness test attendance list, or in the temporary cash register maintained in departmental vehicles.Attendance must then be confirmed through the facial recognition system. After completing field duty and returning to the office, officials are required to sign the attendance register and compulsorily record details related to personal cash in the official ‘private cash declaration register’.The transport commissioner directed senior officials to ensure strict implementation of the new guidelines by all joint transport commissioners, deputy transport commissioners, general RTOs, enforcement RTOs and joint RTOs across the state.Copies of the new order have also been distributed to all field officers, including check-post motor vehicle inspectors. According to the order issued by the transport commissioner, the new measures are intended to ensure greater transparency in field inspections and to prevent allegations of corruption within the motor vehicles department.