Indian idle: KEONICS has too many employees

Staff shortage is a common factor among government departments and corporations. However, Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation (KEONICS), which specialises in supplying and managing information technology-related human resources to various government departments, is an exception.

KEONICS managing director Hari Kumar Jha has more employees than there are needed. He said he had informed the government about the need to relocate or find other options to utilise the excess staff.

When contacted, Bandu G Sasalatti, director (operations), KEONICS, said the total strength of the employees is 186 and around 100 employees are sufficient to carry out day-to-day affairs of the corporation.

“The process of relocation has already commenced. We have relocated around 40 employees recently. We have to prepare a plan on how to utilise the remaining excess staff,’’ Sasalatti said.

However, the director has made it clear that despite excess staff the corporation continues to make profits. He also claimed that KEONICS had succeeded in opening 300 computer training centres across the state.

“We are providing computer training to more than 50,000 students per year. Our target is to train one lakh students per year,’’ he said.
As per the information available on the KEONICS web site, there are 24 assistant managers (technical) and 21 assistant managers (non-technical) and 14 superintendents, 33 senior technical assistants and 34 technical assistants.

Meanwhile, former general secretary of KEONICS Employees’ Union Lingaigh Dyavegowda has blamed the management for not utilising the staff. “The company’s profit will double if it utilises the services of its employees properly.

The company can allot maintenance and management of training centres to its employees for better results. It will enable the company to manage its staff properly and its profit can be doubled,’’ said Dyavegowda.

Many employees are not happy with the management’s policy of giving preference to contractors to open training centres. They suspect that higher authorities are indulging in corruption while selecting agencies or computer training institutes to train students.

“I am not able to understand the logic behind higher authorities’ decision to give preference to various agencies, than utilising the excess staff. The management’s decision gives scope for suspicion. I think the higher authorities are the real beneficiaries than the company,’’ said an employee on condition of unanimity.