By Assembly Correspondent | Tripura 24.in
AGARTALA | May 22, 2026
AGARTALA: In the wake of global energy uncertainties triggered by the ongoing West Asia conflict, Tripura Legislative Assembly Chief Whip Kalyani Roy hosted a high-level press conference today. Speaking to media personnel from her official assembly chamber, she urged the state administration to introduce a structural four-day weekly work schedule for government employees with extended office hours as an aggressive fuel-saving measure.
The proposal comes on the heels of the state government already ordering 50% of Group C and D employees to work from home to curb domestic petroleum consumption.
Aligning with Prime Minister’s Austerity Appeal
Addressing the media house representatives, Chief Whip Kalyani Roy noted that the public must take energy conservation seriously, as geopolitical crises directly disrupt national fuel inventory logistics.
Current Framework and Proposed Changes:
- Existing Strategy: Since May 14, the state has split its Group C and D workforce—50% are attending offices physically in rosters, while the remaining staff operate via the e-office system from home.
- The 4-Day Work Week Proposal: Roy suggested transitioning into a 4-day active week by scaling up daily office schedules from the traditional eight hours to nine hours, ensuring productivity remains intact while significantly minimizing vehicular movement.
- Vanguard Leading by Example: The Chief Whip highlighted that Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, cabinet ministers, and ruling MLAs have already reduced their official escort vehicles and security convoys to cut down public expenditure.
“Every Drop Saved Protects Our Economy”: Chief Whip Kalyani Roy
Elaborating on the long-term impacts of collective conservation, Kalyani Roy called for a unified societal response rather than relying solely on administrative mandates.
”Following the honorable Prime Minister’s national appeal amidst the escalating West Asia conflict, our state government implemented immediate roster rotations. However, because no one can predict when these global geopolitical tensions will de-escalate, we need deeper structural interventions.
A four-day work week with extended hours will significantly reduce the carbon footprint and fuel consumption of our massive workforce without bottlenecking public services. Simultaneously, I appeal to the citizens of Tripura to minimize unnecessary travel, curtail private vehicle usage during peak hours, and switch to environment-friendly alternatives like e-rickshaws, bicycles, and public transit systems for short distances,” Chief Whip Kalyani Roy briefed reporters at the Assembly.
Digital Infrastructure Ready for Transition
Roy assured that the proposed transition would not hamper governance pipelines, pointing out that Tripura has successfully institutionalized end-to-end digital files from the Civil Secretariat level down to the grassroots Gram Panchayats. She reiterated that with the active participation of lower-cadre secretarial staff via secure digital portals, a shorter physical work week is highly viable.
The proposal has been formally routed to the Chief Minister’s Office and the Finance Department for institutional evaluation regarding fuel logistics and grid load modifications.
