AGARTALA: In a sweeping administrative restructure, the Tripura government has officially transitioned to a five-day working week for all state government offices, effectively introducing a two-day weekend for state employees.
The announcement was made by Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister Sushanta Chowdhury following a high-level cabinet meeting. The Minister confirmed that the revised policy has come into force with immediate effect, leaving government offices closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Extended Working Hours and WFH Discontinuation To compensate for the reduced working days, the government has extended daily operational hours. State government offices will now function from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM, replacing the older shift timings.
Concurrently, the government has officially withdrawn the roster-based work-from-home (WFH) system for Group C and Group D employees. The remote-work roster had initially been introduced in line with the Prime Minister’s call for national austerity, but employees are now mandated to return to regular office operations under the extended schedule.
Aggressive Cost-Cutting: Digital Rallies and EV Adoption Reflecting on the volatile global economic landscape, Minister Chowdhury announced a series of major structural cost-saving measures aimed at curbing administrative expenditure:
- Digital First: Approximately 75 percent of all state government meetings will now be conducted virtually, cutting down logistical costs and travel allowances.
- Green Fleet: The administration will aggressively prioritize the purchase and implementation of electric vehicles (EVs) for official government transport to slash long-term fuel expenditure.
Job Creation and Essential Commodity Stability In a boost to state employment, the cabinet officially greenlit the recruitment process to fill 81 vacant positions distributed across three key sectors: the Public Works Department (PWD), the Information and Cultural Affairs (ICA) Department, and the Finance Department.
Addressing concerns regarding regional logistics and supply chains, Minister Chowdhury—who also oversees the Food and Civil Supplies portfolio—assured citizens that Tripura currently holds robust, adequate reserves of fuel and all essential consumer commodities, dismissing any apprehensions of shortages.