Work out, stay fit is Modi's new mantra

Hit the gym in office or go trekking or skiing for a week at government's cost  – the Centre does not want its employees to be called a slob or couch potato.

The Narendra Modi government is now planning two programmes for its employees to fight “alarming stress” and “impact of sedentary life” as it believes that “healthy employees are happy employees”.

It has mooted financial assistance of up to Rs 20,000 for its employees to take up adventure sports by giving them “special casual leave,” besides a grant for setting up gymnasium on office premises.

A fit employee would mean “decreased absenteeism and reduced usage of sick leave”, the government believes.

Among the adventure sports recommended are trekking, mountaineering, rock-climbing, rafting, para sailing, ballooning, para gliding, jungle/desert safari and beach trekking.

In a concept paper for promoting adventure sports, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has said that the schemes are for fostering “spirit of risk-taking, cooperative team work, capacity of readiness, and vital response to challenging situations, endurance and environmental awareness”.

It goes on to say that employees’ welfare is one of the prime tasks of personnel management and sports activities play an important role in improving efficiency and morale.

Participation by central government employees in adventure sports and similar activities will give them a platform where they would learn lessons from nature and use them for the welfare of the society, it said.

The DoPT will provide financial assistance – travel expense, programme fee and hiring charges of equipment – to eligible employees for availing programmes conducted by government-approved institutes. Two employees who win excellence certificate would get full assistance.

Elaborating the need for keeping fit, the DoPT has said in a separate note that the workload has increased manifold in the past years. “Their (employees) sedentary behaviour can have many detrimental effects, including an increased likelihood of developing illness,” it said.

“Constant work stress and frustration can lower productivity; giving employees a convenient means through fitness programmes such as gym result in decreased absenteeism and reduced usage of sick leave etc, which is beneficial to both the employees and the organisation,” it said.

Gymnasiums at workplace will make it easier for employees to find time to exercise and improve their health and well-being, which can have significant impact such as increased productivity, it said.