Here is the latest update: Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Personnel & Training has issued a fresh Office memorandum under F. No. 11013/9/2014-Estt.A-III, dated April 19, 2021 with a set of instruction on preventive measures for Central Government offices in view of the rapidly worsening Corona situation. Among other things, para `f` specifically states, “Persons with Disabilities and Pregnant women employees may be exempted from attending office, but they shall continue to work from home, until further orders.”
Disabled employees of Central Government have been granted exemption from roster Duty during the lockdown period as a preventive measure to contain the spread of Novel COVID-19 virus. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training) in its Office Memorandum of May 19, 2020 has specified, “the Government servants who have underlying conditions (co-morbidities) and were undergoing treatment for these ailments before lockdown, may, as far as possible, be exempted from roster duty upon production of medical prescription from treating physician under CGHS/CS (MA) Rules, as applicable. Similarly, Persons with Disabilities and Pregnant Women may also not be included in the roster to be prepared.”
Earlier, Central Government employees with disabilities were exempted from roster duty by the Department of Personnel and Training shortly after the commencement of lockdown. We note from a release of March 28, 2020 posted online by the Press Information Bureau, New Delhi, “As per fresh Office Memorandum (OM) issued by the Ministry of Personnel, all the Ministries and departments have been instructed that while drawing up roster of staff who are required to attend essential services within their respective Ministries or departments, they may keep in mind that employees who are “Persons with Disability” (PwD) or “Divyangjans” are exempted.”
Relief of Exemption from Roster Duty
It is a great relief to the persons with disabilities working under the central Government. All four major metro cities are among the top Corona-affected areas of the country. Central Government offices are mostly located in these cities. Public transport is scarcely available in these cities in the wake of lockdown. Disabled employees cannot ride personal bikes or cars. They have to depend on public transport facilities. We have heard that some disabled employees have spent hundreds of rupees to reach their offices during lockdown.
The norm of Social Distancing (which is in principle physical distancing) has also thrust upon the disabled employees a serious challenge. They have to seek help from other people for crossing busy roads or locating offices. How can they ask for help from others without defying physical distancing? Moreover, there is always the fear of Corona infection. They may infect others or may be infected by others by touching their hands.
Plz clarify that what does exemption means in this order? leave should be given against this exemption or what….??
We believe, disabled employees should be granted leave by virtue of this order. But we are not sure of the type of leave to be allowed. We shall update our web site as soon as we gather any fresh information. Let us hope that disabled employees do not incur any financial loss for a situation for which they are not responsible in any way.