Central departments, ministries move back to work from home as Covid-19 rages

DoPT has already written to all ministries to ensure that employees over the age of 45 are encouraged to be vaccinated. There are concerns on part of officials as to the speed of transmission of the virus.

A number of central ministries and departments have reintroduced work from home for officials at the rank of undersecretary, or below, as Covid-19 cases see a steep rise across the country, with the national capital being one of the worst affected in the second wave, officials familiar with the developments said on Saturday.

Central ministries and departments have reintroduced work from home for officials at the rank of undersecretary, or below, as Covid-19 cases rise. (Representational image)

Among the ministries and departments to bring back the roster system are home affairs, consumer affairs, information and broadcasting and higher education, the officials quoted above said. They, however, added that a pan-ministerial proposal was yet to be considered.

“As of now, departments and ministries are individually taking a call,” an official familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. “Some already have rolled out work from home for undersecretaries as they do not have individual cabins. Deputy secretaries and above, who have individual chambers will continue to come to work regularly.”

India recorded 1,496 deaths due to Covid-19 in a single day on Saturday, setting a new record for daily deaths as bodies poured into cremation and burial grounds, with health care infrastructure across the country overwhelmed by the caseload.