An association representing central government employees has urged the Union government to issue comprehensive guidelines on work from home, online meetings, and virtual conferencing for government offices, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for reduced fuel consumption and avoidable expenditure amid the West Asia crisis.
The demand was raised by the Central Secretariat Service (CSS) Forum, a representative body of officers serving in the central secretariat system, who are widely regarded as the backbone of administrative functioning across union ministries.
“CSS Forum urges the DoPT to issue comprehensive guidelines on Work From Home for Government offices, as Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi has encouraged a revival of Work From Home, online meetings, and virtual conferencing for both government and private sectors,” the forum said in a post on X on May 13, 2026.
The forum has called on the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to create a structured framework for remote work practices across government departments. It described the proposal as part of a broader vision for a “green secretariat”, arguing that a balanced and structured framework could enhance productivity, employee well-being, and digital governance.
“The visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister and the dedicated government workforce will definitely give the fruitful results of this initiative,” the forum said.
Manjeet Singh Patel, National President of the All India NPS Employees Federation, separately backed the proposal. “All India NPS Employees Federation ask the government to consider measures like work from home, virtual meetings, among others, as suggested by the prime minister for the welfare and progress of our country,” Patel told PTI.
Prime Minister Modi, in his appeal made on May 11, suggested reducing petrol and diesel consumption, using metro rail services in cities, carpooling, increased use of electric vehicles, utilising railway services for parcel movement, and adopting work from home to conserve foreign exchange amid the West Asia conflict.
Several state governments, including Tripura and Delhi, have since rolled out their own work-from-home directives for government employees, though a central framework for ministries and union departments is yet to be formalised.
