Normal office hours restored in 8 districts.

The State government has withdrawn the order changing the office hours in the eight districts of North Karnataka in the summer months of April and May. It has restored the normal office hours.

In an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms on Tuesday, it has been stated that due to exigencies, the office hours (from 8 am to 1.30 pm) have been reverted to 10 am to 5.30 pm in all the six districts of Gulbarga division, namely, Bidar, Gulbarga, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal and Bellary, and in Bijapur and Bagalkot districts of Belgaum division. 

This order is only for the year 2012-13.

According to Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is also the Gulbarga district in charge minister, the special office hours for the government staff in the eight districts have badly affected the drought relief works. Therefore, the office hours have been restored to the normal hours.

‘Unilateral decision’
B S Desai, district president of the Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association, has criticised the government for unilaterally withdrawing the only privilege given to the employees for the last 40 years. 

Desai told Deccan Herald that the Association State president Bhyrappa would meet the chief minister and apprise him of the need to withdraw the latest order. 
The Association president said that the district executive committee of the Association was hold a meeting on Tuesday night to chalk out its course of action.