As Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued his pitch on promotion work for home for the second consecutive day, to cut down on energy usage amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, techies across several IT cities jumped with joy, harkening back to the days of the pandemic when offices shifted their strategy to remote working.
One of the IT professionals, who took PM Modi’s advice to heart, supported the idea saying that it if far more practical than losing several hours daily on commute, which brings on its own share of stress. Her post was quick to catch the attention of the internet.
“Interesting to hear from PM @narendramodi to encourage Work From Home where possible. India loses hours daily in traffic, fuel, and stress. If productivity is still getting done remotely, why not adapt with time?” Megha, a software developer wrote on X.
Megha’s post resonated with many users on social media who argued that the gruelling daily commute to office takes a toll on productivity and mental health, besides contributing to excess fuel consumption.
The post garnered several responses on X, with one user suggesting that WFH would be blessings at least in the summer months.
Another user gave the hint of the lockdown which was imposed suddenly during the pandemic saying, “It seems something big is bound to happen for which PM is giving Hint.”
What PM Modi Said On WFH
Repeating his point on promoting the culture of WFH in Gujarat, PM Modi said that virtual meetings and work from home in both government and private offices should be promoted.
“Digital technology has now made so many things easy that technology’s assistance will also be very beneficial for us. It is essential that priority be given to virtual meetings and work from home in both government and private offices,” PM Modi said.
Earlier on Sunday, PM Modi had asked the country to go back to the same practices of remote working that was followed during the pandemic. “During the pandemic, we developed many systems of work from home, online meetings, and video conferences, and we even became accustomed to them. Today, the demands of the times are such that if we restart these systems, it will be in the national interest,” he proposed.
Rising Crude Prices
The Prime Minister’s comments come amid the economic pressure India is currently facing, thanks to the prolonged US Iran conflict which has in turn led to rising crude oil prices. Brent crude prices went off the roof hovering around $105 a barrel on Monday as tensions between the United States and Iran continued, with no signs of reaching a peace agreement.
India imports around 85% of its total crude oil needs, making it the world’s third largest oil importer, and highly susceptible to global energy shocks. It also has direct bearing on the country’s current account deficit, inflates fuel prices, our foreign exchange reserves.