CHANDIGARH: Punjab government's decision to cut down the number of gazetted holidays has unleashed a political storm with the Opposition parties strongly criticising the move and linking it to “dictatorship”. Reports said Captain Amarinder Singh's government has declared 18 gazetted holidays, restricting 39 off days for the year 2018. State government employees will now avail 5 restricted holidays, while they earlier could only avail only 2.
The state's administration believes that the move will provide a much-needed push to its functioning. An official government spokesperson said they decided to reduce the number of gazetted holidays for the calendar year 2018 in a bid to enable better public service to the citizens and also ensure more teaching days in educational institutions. “With this reform, the State government offices will remain open for 21 more days in 2018 as compared to the previous year 2017. At the same time, government employees will be able to avail more restricted holidays than previously, in keeping with their preferences.”
The spokesperson added that the state government has tried to strike a balance between its commitment to better public service, more teaching days in educational institutions, while maintaining requirements of its employees to avail of holidays on the other. “Now, the number of gazetted holidays in Punjab are comparable to the number of holidays by Government of India, which has declared 17 gazetted holidays for the calendar year 2018.” The official notification is expected to be issued soon by the State Personnel Department.
The decision was welcomed by several Congress leaders, including Congress MLA Dr Rajkumar Verka, who said, “The decision taken by the Congress government is a big step towards good governance. No one should oppose it.”
