- The Centre is not planning mandatory work-from-home policies for companies or IT sector
- PM Modi's fuel-saving appeal is a call for prudent consumption amid global uncertainty
- No government cuts in spending, welfare, or infrastructure investments are being considered
The Centre is not considering any mandatory work-from-home policy for companies or the IT sector despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent appeal to reduce fuel consumption and avoid unnecessary spending on imports and foreign travel, government sources said.
The clarification comes after speculation that the government could push companies towards large-scale remote working amid global uncertainty and rising concerns over fuel prices.
Sources said the Prime Minister's remarks were being misunderstood and incorrectly described in some quarters as "austerity measures".
According to sources, there is no proposal to cut government spending, reduce welfare schemes or curb infrastructure investments.
The government's focus remains on maintaining economic growth while encouraging citizens and companies to use resources more carefully.
Prime Minister Modi had recently appealed to people to reduce avoidable fuel consumption, use public transport where possible, and adopt work from home or virtual meetings in situations where physical travel can be avoided.
Officials said the appeal should be seen as a call for prudent and responsible consumption during a period of global uncertainty, especially due to tensions in West Asia and fluctuations in international crude oil markets.
Sources stressed that the word "austerity" creates a wrong impression because austerity generally refers to fiscal tightening measures such as cuts in public expenditure, subsidies and welfare spending.
"No such measures are under consideration," sources said.
The government has continued to maintain high capital expenditure on roads, railways, defence, infrastructure and welfare programmes. Officials pointed out that there has been no indication of any rollback in public investment.
Instead, the Prime Minister's message is being viewed internally as an attempt to reduce wasteful consumption and lower pressure on fuel imports and foreign exchange outflows.
Sources added that the idea is to encourage efficiency and responsible economic behaviour without affecting productivity or growth.
Several companies have also started reviewing travel policies and encouraging virtual meetings in order to reduce operational costs and fuel usage, but officials said these are business decisions and not part of any government directive.
The government's position, sources said, is that the current situation requires economic caution and smarter consumption, not austerity.
