Maharashtra: Mantralaya to work in two shifts as COVID-19 cases rise

A health worker collects swab samples during a door-to-door screening for COVID-19 at Dharavi, one of Asia`s largest slums. Pic/Shadab Khan

In an unprecedented move, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday directed the state administration to explore the possibility of Mantralaya - the state government headquarters - working in two shifts in view of the rise in Covid-19 cases.

Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar will prepare the action plan to implement two shifts for all the staff and officers. Besides, the government will also examine the feasibility of Work From Home for certain departments to ensure work at full capacity without the risk of coronavirus.

"We support this move... It's good for the safety of the 7,000-plus staffers working in Mantralaya," G.D. Kulthe, Founder-Advisor of the Federation of Maharashtra Gazetted Officers (FMGO) told IANS.

He said the move will be initiated from Mantralaya and later percolate down to all the government offices across the state. As per tentative plans, the shifts will be from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

At a meeting of all departments heads, FMGO, and other top officials, Thackeray urged the need to shed the "11 to 5" work mentality and adapt to the changing times. In the past one year, many Mantralaya staffers have been afflicted by Covid-19 and a few have even succumbed to the contagion.

The CM also asked the Chief Secretary to plan out priority vaccination for all government officers and employees as frontline workers to ensure the smooth running of the administration.

There will be health checks for all employees and the number of visitors will be reduced to Mantralaya and other government offices in view of the pandemic with stress on online methods to deal with various public problems.

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