West Bengal govt allows several depts to work with 100pc staff strength

As per thedepartments decision, all have to come to office everyday asin pre-Covid times, the official of the PAR departmentsaid.A similar order has been issued by the Labour andFinance Departments.We have already allowed 100 per cent attendance andall employees have started attending office and are adheringto mandatory COVID-19 safety protocols, state Labour MinisterMalay Ghatak told PTI.Meanwhile, the daily fatality rate for COVID-19patients has slipped below 10 as on Wednesday with only 7deaths reported in West Bengal.The daily infection rate has also dipped considerablywhile the recovery rate improved to 97.30 per cent onWednesday.

With the COVID-19 pandemic on asteady decline, several departments of the West Bengalgovernment have decided to allow all its employees to attendoffice, an official said on Thursday.

To combat the COVID-19 contagion, the state governmenthad issued guidelines in June last that instead of attendingoffice for five days a week, employees would have to attendoffice at least thrice a week and the workplace would functionwith a staff strength of 70 per cent.

Employees staying in containment zones were asked towork from home.

The Personnel & Administrative Reforms department ofthe state government issued an order last week asking all itsemployees, both permanent and contractual, to attend office onall working days, he said.

The employees have to strictly follow COVID-19 safetyprotocols, including physical distancing, proper santisationof hands and wearing masks, it said.

''The pandemic is on the decline and we are returningto normal life. Buses, trains, metros and ferry services haveresumed operations. In this situation, employees can attendoffice without facing any problem in commuting. As per thedepartment's decision, all have to come to office everyday asin pre-Covid times,'' the official of the P&AR departmentsaid.

A similar order has been issued by the Labour andFinance Departments.

''We have already allowed 100 per cent attendance andall employees have started attending office and are adheringto mandatory COVID-19 safety protocols,'' state Labour MinisterMalay Ghatak told PTI.

Meanwhile, the daily fatality rate for COVID-19patients has slipped below 10 as on Wednesday with only 7deaths reported in West Bengal.

The daily infection rate has also dipped considerablywhile the recovery rate improved to 97.30 per cent onWednesday.