Ten-day Puja holiday for govt staff

KOLKATA: If you have some work at any of the state government offices, make sure it is completed by October 19, else you have to wait till the next month. All government offices will remain closed for 10 days at a stretch - from October 20 to October 29 - and reopen only on October 30. Though earlier, October 26 was a working day, a notification issued by the government on Friday has declared it as a holiday.
The offices of the registrar of assurances and collector of stamp revenue will however remain open on October 26.
Bengal is going for a total shut down for 10 days at a stretch, as state government offices will remain closed for Durga puja in between October 20 and October 29 and the offices will reopen on October 30 after Lakshmi puja. There was only one working day on October 26, but the state government issued a notification on Friday to announce it a holiday too.
Earlier, it was a norm for the state government offices to remain closed till Lakshmi Puja. However, after Buddhadeb Bhattacharya came to power, the number of holidays was curtailed. The offices started opening a day after Dussehra. Friday's notification has made officials at Writers' Buildings happy. That time of uninterrupted holidays till Lakshmi Puja is back again, felt officials.
Earlier, a section of the state government staff had planned to apply for CL on October 26 to enjoy an uninterrupted 10-day holiday. But with the new order in place, the state secretariat officials and government employees of other offices are a happy lot and gearing up to enjoy an extended holiday.
Bank officials are, however, not as lucky as their state secretariat counterparts. October 25 and 26 will be working days for them. People are hence apprehensive of standing in long queues to get their bank work done on these two days.
ATMs also may dry up during the festive season, some fear. But bank officials have assured that arrangements will be made to replenish the ATMs on a daily basis. "But since most people will be out pandal hopping during the Puja days it is best to keep some cash stacked up or use cards for transactions," suggested another bank official.
The extended holiday has raised a question among a section of officials - how will the government react in case there is an emergency or disaster? This is because with all the offices shut, only a section of the disaster management cell will function in the state secretariat.
The state staff are happy with this extended holiday, but many officials have raised a valid question that if any disaster occurs during this period how will the government react. Because with all offices being closed only a section of the disaster management cell will function in the state secretariat.
So, those who are in need of any service from the state government should either reach the offices by October 19 or should wait for the next month, as by the time the offices open the staff will be busy to queue up for their salary. Again the banks too are going to have two working days on October 25 and 26. So there are apprehensions that there will be a huge rush on these two days, Even the ATMs might dry up during the festive season. Though bank officials assured that they will arrange for replenishing the ATMs on a daily basis and for it specials arrangements had been made. But still to go for pandal hopping during the puja days its best to have enough cash ready or use cards for transactions, a bank official suggested.
So, the staff at state secretariats and the other offices are getting ready for an extended holiday. Earlier a section of the state government staff had planned for taking a day's CL on October 26 to enjoy a continued holiday of 10 days. Now the state government had ensured that all government offices remain closed for 10 days, except the offices of registrar of assurances and collector of stamp revenue.
The state staff are happy with this extended holiday, but many officials have raised a valid question that if any disaster occurs during this period how will the government react. Because with all offices being closed only a section of the disaster management cell will function in the state secretariat.
State government holidays from Oct 20 to Oct 29
Oct 26 was not a holiday, but government declared it a holiday on Friday
Banks to remain open on Oct 25 and Oct 26