Holiday list for the year 2010

In announcing government-holidays for the year 2010, Union government has forgotten its decision to change system of holidays as suggested by the sixth pay-panel whereby offices should be closed only on three national holidays of Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti with employees opting for eight holidays from complete list of holidays including present gazetted and restricted holidays. System will enable government-employees to opt for holidays of convenience like of Raksha Bandhan.

In response to an RTI petition transferred under section 6(3) of the RTI Act to hundreds of offices of Delhi Government, interesting data emerged that more than eighty-percent government-employees availed Raksha Bandhan as one of the two restricted holidays allowed to them. This data did not include employees of Central government and public-sector undertakings including banks where again similar data may emerge. Most private establishments observe Raksha Bandhan as holiday, and obviously attendance in government-offices is very thin making it a virtual holiday for all practical purposes. It can also be established from the fact that DTC buses and Metro Rail in Delhi have record earnings on Raksha Bandhan.

However retaining Gandhi Jayanti in list of compulsory holidays, is against ideals of Father of the Nation who always asked countrymen for hard work. Instead 2nd October should be converted into extra work-day by extending working in offices by say half an hour on this day. Likewise ?close-days? on 14th April for Dr BR Ambedkar?s birthday can also be turned into Extra-Work-Day.

SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL

(Guinness Record Holder for most letters in newspapers & RTI Activist)

1775 Kucha Lattushah

Dariba DELHI 110006 (India)

Mobile 9810033711 Fax 23254036

E-mail subhashmadhu@sify.com

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