The Delhi government will re-implement a work from home (WFH) policy starting next week for at least 50% of the total workforce, excluding bureaucrats, in government offices and departments that are not in the front line of Covid-19 management, he said. senior government officials on Saturday
They further said that the decision was made in light of the high number of infections recorded throughout the city.
Delhi reported 4,998 cases and 89 deaths on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases and deaths so far to 561,742 and 8,998 respectively. Also, with 69,051 cases carried out on Saturday, the positivity rate was recorded at 7.24%, according to the daily government bulletin.
The proposal regarding the WFH policy was sent by the government’s revenue department to the office of Delhi Deputy Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday. The proposal got Baijal approval on Saturday.
Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot confirmed the development, saying: “This is a precautionary measure. We are doing everything we can to stop the spread of Covid-19. “
The Delhi government had implemented a similar policy during the national lockdown and most departments continued to work with 50% physical force until June 30. With restrictions lowered starting in July, the order was gradually relaxed.
A senior government official, who did not want to be named, said the proposal was drafted on November 25 after the Union Ministry of the Interior issued guidelines on restrictions and relaxations for December, in which he noted that the offices have emerged as transmission points and asked states to consider staggered hours and work-from-home options.
The Delhi government has around 150 departments and a workforce of around 250,000.
The proposal does not cover departments such as health, district administrations, domestic guards, civil defense, prison staff and water supply, or other departments, which may not be directly on the front line, but which have put pressure on a considerable number of workforce in covid-19. Duties such as education, food and work, said the government official.
The proposal also does not include Grade I officers: IAS officers, DANICS officers and those who rose to equivalent ranks, the official added.
All department heads were asked to prepare work schedules in this regard before December 1, the official said.
HT had previously reported that a total of 2,487 Delhi government employees contracted the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) between March and October 13, of which 89 succumbed to the virus, citing the response to an RTI.
The Capital is currently going through a third wave of Covid-19. While the highest number of cases in a day (8,593) was recorded on November 11, the highest deaths in a day (131) were recorded on November 18. The case positivity rate had touched 15.26% on November 7.
“The overall positivity in Delhi is going down since November 7. This is now 8.65% compared to 15.26% on November 7. For the last 7 consecutive days the cases are less than 7,000,” he said. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain in a tweet on Friday. .
The government maintains that both the cases and the positivity rate are gradually decreasing. Health Minister Jain had shared data showing that a total of 1,314,385 Covid-19 tests were conducted in Delhi between November 1 and 25, of which 457,683 were RT-PCR tests and the rest rapid antigen.
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