NEW DELHI: Keeping in mind the ongoing lockdown on services, the offices of the Central ministries will work with minimal staff to run essential services. Earlier, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had asked the ministries to work with 50 per cent of the staff on alternate basis, however, the decision was reviewed on Sunday as the coronavirus cases in the country swelled.
“Heads of department (HoDs) may draw up a roster of staff (all officers and employees, including consultants/ contract and outsourced employees), who are required to render essential services within each Department. They alone may be asked to attend office from March 23 until March 31,” read the directive from the Department of Personnel and Training Officials who are working from home should be available on telephone and electronic means of communication at all times and should come to the offices if called for, in case of any exigencies of work, it further said.
DoPT added that similar instructions should be issued to attached or subordinate offices, as well as autonomous andstatutory bodies. The Department of Financial Services (DFS) and Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) may issue similar instructions regarding financial institutions and public sector undertakings, it said. These instructions shall not apply to the officers and employees engaged in essential/emergency services and those directly engaged in taking measures to control spread of COVID 19. These instructions shall be applicable with immediate effect.