New Delhi India - January 9 ANI Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that pregnant women and divyang differently-abled employees of the Central government have been exempted from attending office in the wake of a surge in COVID cases.
They will be required to remain at home and work from home.
The guidelines issued by the Department of Personnel and Training DoPT after the third wave of the Pandemic, the Union Minister said all officials and staff living in the Containment Zone will be exempted from coming to office until the time the Containment Zone is de-notified.
The Minister said that the physical attendance of government servants below the level of Under Secretary has been restricted to 50 per cent of the actual strength and the remaining 50 per cent will work from home.
He added that the roles of all departments will be prepared accordingly.
However, he said that officials and staff who are not attending the office and are working from home wil remain available on the telephone and other electronic means of communication at all times.
In view of the rapid spread of the virus, Singh said that a DoPT should advise that official meetings be conducted through video conferencing as far as possible.
He said that personal meetings with visitors are not necessary unless absolutely necessary.
The Minister said that in order to avoid overcrowding in office premises, the officials and staff will follow staggered timings that are 9 am to 5: 30 pm and 6: 30 pm.
DoPT has advised all officers and staff to be vigilant about COVID-appropriate behaviour that is frequent washing of hands sanitisation, wearing face mask face cover and observing social distancing all the time.
It said that proper cleaning and sanitisation of the workplace, particularly frequently touched surfaces, could be ensured.