To give a much-needed push to its functioning, the Punjab Government has decided to cut down the number of its gazetted holidays to half.
As the previous SAD-BJP regime took the total number of gazetted holidays in a year to 35, the Congress Government has decided to limit it to half by taking out as many as 17 Government holidays from the list for the next year, 2018, and including the same to the category of restricted holidays.
The decision has already received Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s approval, and the notification is expected to be issued anytime now by the State Personnel Department. The move is in consonant with the decision taken by the Congress Government during its previous term, from 2002-2007.
Notably, the previous Capt Amarinder-led Government had decided to cut down the number of holidays and following the Central Government’s pattern in the state — a move strongly opposed by the employees. However, the then Chief Secretary Jai Singh Gill’s firm decision prevailed upon them.
Even this time too, it has been learnt, the government has decided to include only those holidays as approved by the Central Government.
“lot many holidays were included in the list, and thus affected the Government’s functioning. So, the Chief Minister wanted to increase the number of official working and decided to follow the Central Government’s pattern of State holidays,” a senior Government official told The Pioneer, adding that the same have been included in the list of restricted holidays.
Not divulging which holidays have been removed from the list and included in the restricted category, the official said that the move is aimed at improving the Government’s functioning.
Sources informed that most of the religious holidays, included by the previous SAD-BJP regime during its decade-long rule, have been excluded.
As of now, there are 34 gazetted holidays and 18 restricted holidays for the State Government employees. Out of total restricted holidays, the employees can take any two.
In 2017, SAD-BJP led Punjab Government has issued list of 35 gazetted holidays including for Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary, Baba Ram Singh’s birth anniversary, Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom day, Bhagat Kabir’s birth anniversary, Udham Singh’s martyrdom day, Baba Sri Chand’s birthday, Agrasain Jayanti, Guru Ram Dass’ birth anniversary, Kartar Singh Sarabha’s martyrdom day, among others.
A Government functionary, who did not wish to be named, said that the previous Government’s policy was to woo various sections ahead the elections to announce holidays after holidays “without even thinking that even a single non-working day affects Government’s functioning a lot”.