DTF raises doubt over timely disbursal of salary under e-sign

The Finance Department of the Punjab Government issued a letter to the District Treasury Officers across Punjab on February 18, ordering them to issue salaries of employees under the digital signature of their Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) from the month of February, which has raised fears that many employees of the state will not receive their salaries for the month of February on time.

Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) state president Vikramdev Singh said as per the new instructions of the Finance Department, salaries will be issued under digital signature. “For digital signature, a DSC (Digital Signature Certificate)/dongle will have to be issued from Punjab Infotech for which the prescribed fee for different periods will have to be submitted to the DDO. The DDO will be able to obtain the DSC/dongle from Punjab Infotech by attaching an application with the required documents and paying the prescribed fee. The process of obtaining DSC/dongle is quite complicated and due to this there may be delay in disbursing salaries to employees across Punjab.”

The DTF members said in case of delay in getting salaries for the month, the Punjab Government will have to face the protest of the employees. “The salaries for the month of February must be issued under the already running e-signature and the government should issue DSC by paying the amount from itself through some government agency,” said Jermanjit Singh, a government teacher and DTF member from Amritsar.