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Punjab Mandates 24/7 Mobile Availability for Government Officials

The AAP-led directive aims to enhance public service delivery but raises concerns over work-life balance.

The personnel department issued written directions on Saturday to all special chief secretaries, additional chief secretaries, financial commissioners and administrative secretaries to ensure that all officials of their department are available on their mobile phones after office hours.
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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.