Delhi govt announces 2-day work from home policy after PM Modi’s fuel-saving appeal

The Delhi government on May 14 announced that its employees will work from home for two days every week in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal for fuel conservation and reduced non-essential travel amid rising global energy concerns.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision was part of a wider initiative aimed at cutting fuel consumption, encouraging virtual work culture and reducing unnecessary government expenditure.

The move comes days after PM Modi urged citizens, government offices and private companies to revive Covid-era practices such as work from home, virtual meetings and online conferences “in the national interest”.

According to reports, the Delhi government has also directed departments to conduct at least 50% of official meetings online wherever possible. Officials have additionally been asked to minimise physical travel and prioritise digital communication systems.

The government’s austerity measures reportedly include restrictions on foreign tours for officials for one year, promotion of carpooling and steps to reduce fuel use in administrative functioning.

The announcement follows PM Modi’s repeated public appeals over the past week asking citizens to reduce petrol and diesel consumption amid tensions in West Asia and concerns over rising global crude oil prices.

Addressing public gatherings in Secunderabad and Vadodara earlier this week, the Prime Minister urged people to use public transport, electric vehicles, carpooling and remote work systems to reduce India’s fuel burden.

The Centre has maintained that there is no immediate fuel shortage in India, but officials have stressed the need for precautionary conservation measures due to volatility in global oil markets and disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia conflict.

Reports also suggest that several states and corporate groups have begun exploring similar fuel-saving measures. Business leaders including Shaadi.com founder Anupam Mittal and RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka publicly backed hybrid work policies following the Prime Minister’s remarks.

The Delhi government is also considering broader digitisation measures across departments as part of the campaign. Some reports indicated that authorities may examine partial online classes or virtual systems in educational institutions if required, though no official directive has been issued for schools or colleges so far.

The work-from-home announcement has revived debate around the return of hybrid work models first widely adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic years, several government and private offices shifted to remote work to reduce physical movement and maintain operations digitally.

India imports nearly 85% of its crude oil requirements, making the country vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices and disruptions in international supply chains.