Home-grown cost cutting

Finance Minister P Chidambaram may not have quick fix solutions for the current economic problems, but some of his officials think they have a good idea of how to bring down costs for the government. One such, only half-facetious, suggestion that came up during a lunch break when some officials were pondering the problem is to ask government staff and officers to work from home for three days a week. As Saturdays and Sundays are off-days, offices will open only on two days a week and this will save a lot on power, fuel, food and various other office expenses. So inflation, subsidies, fiscal deficit, all will be in control - or so it is hoped!