Punjab: Govt officials asked to remain available on mobile phones after office hours, on holidays

Chandigarh: The Punjab government has issued directions to all state government officials and employees, asking them to remain available on their mobile phones for work even after office hours and on holidays.

In an order issued by the special secretary (personnel), the government said that it becomes a hindrance in completing necessary administrative work if an employee is not available on the phone.

"It has been observed that some officers are not available on mobile phone after office hours. Their phones are either switched off, out of network coverage area, on diversion or are in flight mode.

"In such a situation there is a hindrance in carrying out necessary administrative work and providing services and facilities to the general public," said the order issued on April 26.

All the officers should ensure that they are available through their mobile phones after office hours and on holidays to complete necessary office or administrative tasks on time, it said.

Meanwhile, ruling Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amritpal Sukhanand on Monday said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has issued directives requiring all government officers and employees to remain accessible to the public via their mobile phones, even after office hours.

The move reflects the AAP's "unwavering commitment" to bringing governance closer to the people and addressing their concerns promptly, he said in a statement.

Sukhanand called it a "historic step in strengthening public trust in governance". Under the directive, all government departments have been instructed to ensure that officials remain available to the public through their official mobile numbers at all times, he said.

"This includes after-office hours, weekends, and holidays. Several officers already maintain open communication with the public, but there were instances where some would not respond after duty hours. This reform will put an end to such practices and ensure no public grievance goes unheard," Sukhanand said.

The AAP MLA highlighted the government's objective behind this initiative, emphasizing its focus on facilitating public services such as ration cards, voter ID cards, Aadhaar updates, and registry services.