State govt employees will get 13 days off during Durga Puja 2017

The state government employees will get holidays for 13 days at a stretch during the Durga Puja in 2017.

The number of days would go up to 16 if the state government declares holiday on Panchami as it had happened this year. There was holiday for 11 days at a stretch during Durga Puja this year with the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announcing holiday on Panchami as a gift to the state government employees for joining their work on a day of bandh called by the left trade unions.

A notification declaring holidays of state government employees for the year 2017 has been issued by the state Finance Department on October 27.

As per the notification, the state government has declared holiday on Sasti that is on September 26 from the when the Puja vacation for the state government employees would begin. 

Two additional days holiday has been granted on October 3 and 4 after Vijaya Dashami, which is on September 30. With Sunday in between, October 2 is a national holiday for Gandhi Jayanti. There is a holiday on October 5 for Lakshmi Puja and October 6 has also been declared as an additional holiday. 

State government offices would remain closed for the next two days for Saturday and Sunday. The state government employees will once again join their work on October 9.

However, Doljatra and Muharram are on Sundays which are holidays under the negotiable Instrument Act. Thus, these two days have not been included in the list of holidays.

Meanwhile, the next Monday that is November 7 has been declared a holiday for all state government employees on the occasion of Chhat Puja. Every year, employees who get involved in the festival get leaves on Chhat Puja. But this time, the state government has decided to give holiday to all employees on Chhat Puja.