COVID-19 crisis: Punjab govt issues advisory for safe operation of government offices

In a bid to ensure the safety and well-being of its staff, the Punjab government has issued detailed guidelines and protocols for the safe operation of government offices during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Nodal officers have been appointed for each department to regularly monitor the health of employees.

A spokesperson of the government informed that the seating arrangement in the offices shall be made ensuring a minimum distance of two meters between the employees. Nodal officers have been asked to submit the report to the Head of Office.

"Employees attending the office in person may be allowed flexible timings of reporting for duty, flexible timing of leaving the office, flexible timings for lunch and tea breaks, so as to ensure no crowding takes place in the offices and social distancing norms are maintained," the advisory read

Furthermore, it stated that the employees who cannot attend office as they have tested positive for COVID-19 or because their place of residence are in the containment or buffer zone shall be granted quarantine leave for a maximum period of 30 days in terms of the provisions of the Civil Service Rules. "If for reasons beyond their control, an employee is still unable to attend the office after 30 days of quarantine leave, he/she shall be granted ordinary leave."

The Head of Office has been asked to maintain a complete and record of all employees attending office on any particular day and use of physical files and communication through physical letters/ notices/ memos orders should be avoided.

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Punjab govt To Bear Cost Of Migrant Workers' Travel

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday stated that the Punjab government will stand by the migrant workers in this challenging hour and will continue to ensure livelihood, food and shelter of the workers. This comes after Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a statement on Monday announced that the party has taken a decision that every Pradesh Congress Committee shall bear the cost for the rail travel of every needy worker and migrant labourer and shall take necessary steps in this regard. 

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