Now, only 4 half-day holidays for govt staff

In a first, the Punjab government has issued directions that from now on, employees can only take four half-day holidays in a year, and that too, these have to clubbed with full-day notified holidays.

The practice has been to observe over a dozen days as half-day holidays in addition to the usual full day holidays. For 2013, while the government has notified 15 holidays, the employees till now took half-day holidays prior to all these notified holidays.

The order issued by Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh stated: "Employees will now be permitted to avail any four second half day holidays during the current calendar year unlike previous years, when employees availed as many half day holidays as the total number of holidays.''

The order, while stating that the rules applicable in the restricted holidays will also be applicable for half day holidays, added that concerned authorities will maintain a record of all such holidays taken by the staff. The move is aimed at ensuring that all government offices, schools and colleges function normally, said sources.

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