The Union Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Ravi Shankar Prasad held a meeting with IT ministers from all states on Tuesday in which he announced that all employees in the IT sector can work from home till July 31.
Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan suggested the same while also highlighting the issues faced by the IT sector.
Earlier, the IT sector's work from home ability was supposed to last until April 30, but with the latest decision, it has been extended for three months and will be reviewed again in July.
To provide better internet facilities amid the lockdown, the Union Minister also said that steps will be taken to strengthen Bharat Net.
“Not just the IT sector, all states should give importance to developing startups and research. Focus will be on providing effective E-governance and E-passes. The working of almost all sectors after Covid-19 has changed. Nearly 80 per cent professionals are working from home. Almost all the work is done online. To help this, internet services will be strengthened through Bharat Net,'' Prasad said.
At the meeting, Prasad also stated that a guidelines app for best practices will be released by the National Informatics Centre.
"I took on board the suggestion that we must have a strategic group assisting our system, state governments, (their) IT Ministers and some of the best minds of the IT profession... so that with this type of challenge and opportunity, we can leverage fresh ideas. I have also relaxed norms for working from home, it was to end on April 30, I have extended it to July 31. More and more products for Aarogya Setu app, e-pass, linkage with the district officials, all I have agreed to immediately," he said, according to PTI.
