Overview
- The Punjab government has ordered all state officials to remain reachable by mobile phone 24/7, including after office hours, weekends, and holidays.
- The directive, issued on April 26, 2025, tasks senior officials with ensuring compliance across their departments.
- Officials' unavailability on mobile phones has been cited as a cause of administrative delays and disruptions in public service delivery.
- The policy builds on similar measures introduced by previous administrations in 2012 and 2017 to ensure officials' accessibility.
- Critics have expressed concerns about the impact of continuous availability mandates on employees' work-life balance.