Customs offices – go for canteen, crèche and gym – there is money available.
A motorised tread mill at the Commissionerate headquarters would cost Rs. 80,000 while the same at any other place would be Rs.40,000/-. At least that is the kind of financial assistance the Commissionerate and other offices can get from the Customs and Central Excise Performance Award Fund. The Commissioner in the Directorate of Logistics has communicated the guidelines / norms for Canteen / Creche / Gym, recreation, sports centre for grant of financial assistance. Even small offices having more than 6 employees can have a Tiffin room with a fridge and oven etc,.
Have good food in the office, get plenty exercise in the office gym and let the office creche take care of your children. Coming to office should really be a tempting option. These employee welfare measures which hardly cost any thing will go a long way in boosting the morale.
The guidelines for a canteen are
• The minimum staff strength requiring a canteen facility should be 50 (including all categories of staff).
• Office requiring canteen facility should own the building i.e. building should be departmental or it should be on a long term lease.
• No funds will be sanctioned for Canteens in make shift buildings or buildings on short term rental basis.
• Cases where other central govt. offices not having any canteen are housed in the same building will be given priority to ensure running of a canteen and its profitability.
• Proposal shall be accompanied with a sketch layout plan of the accommodation where proposed canteen is to be set up.
• No post shall be sanctioned for running the Canteen.
• No funds shall be sanctioned either from the Welfare Fund or in the regular budget for meeting recurring expenditure such as consumables or wages salary of manpower/staff for running the canteen. The Canteen should be self supporting.
• Complete details as to how canteen will be run (i.e. whether by outsourcing or run by the Commissionerate's existing canteen staff) should be provided along with the proposal.
• A Committee consisting of Commissionerate's staff/officials representing different categories should be formed to supervise/monitor running of canteens for their smooth/efficient/profitable functioning.
F. No.712/366/200-DPO(WF)/2006 Dated: September 7, 2006 of the Directorate of Logistics.