There are government employees who recognise this. However, absence of other staff ensures that they cannot function even if they come to work on holidays. Many of these holidays commemorate personalities, who ironically, worked tirelessly for the nation.

It is little wonder that a file that takes three days to be processed by developed nations takes more than three months in India because of so many holidays. Sadly, the nation’s development is held hostage by its government departments. Parliament’s standing committee and labour commission have recommended limiting the number of holidays.

On our way up?

The recent surge in the stock markets is the latest sign that India is among the first to emerge out of recession. Although consumer spending never froze in India, unlike the West, the middle class has slowly come out of its shell and is back in the spending mode. All consumer goods including FMCG and durables are back in demand even as banks have started disbursing loans at cheaper rates. Foreigners are back in the country and scouring for investment opportunities. Even in the housing sector, the low-cost projects designed for the middle-class are sold out from the moment they are announced. Real estate companies who had invested in ambitious housing projects are suffering, but those who turned their attention to low and mid-budget housing are finding business without any problem.

The writer is a Rajya Sabha MP from the Congress party