NEW DELHI: Initiating measures to decongest workspaces for arresting the further spread of Covid-19, the government on Thursday asked all Central ministries and departments to require only 50% of their Group B and C employees to attend office on a given day over the next fortnight. It advised the heads of all departments to prepare a roster that will require such employees to be in office only on alternate weeks.The instructions will be effective immediately and remain valid till April 4, 2020.The department of personnel and training, in an office memorandum issued on Wednesday, asked Central government employees attending office on a particular day to be segregated into three different attendance slots: 9am to 5.30pm, 9.30am to 6pm and 10am to 6.30pm.“Heads of Department (HoDs) may ensure that 50% of Group B and C employees are required to attend office every day, and the remaining 50% staff should be instructed to work from home. All HoDs are advised to draft a weekly roster of duty for Group B and C staff and ask them to attend office on alternate weeks. While deciding the roster for the first week, HoDs are advised to include officials who are residing in close proximity to their office or use their own transport to travel to the offices,” the DoPT note stated.DoPT has asked officials working from home on a particular day, as per the roster drawn up, to be available on telephone and electronic means of communication at all times. “They should attend office, if called for any exigency of work,” it said.The instructions for curtailing working staff strength and hours in office shall not apply to the offices and employees engaged in essential/emergency services and those directly engaged in taking measures to control spread of Covid-19.