Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state government is considering a major overhaul of the holiday system for its employees, with a possibility of reducing the total number of holidays and even scrapping the five-day work week.
A committee formed by the government to review the leave structure has held one round of discussions and is expected to submit its recommendations before the new year.
The committee, constituted on September 24, is headed by the Additional Chief Secretary of the General Administration Department and includes the Additional Chief Secretaries of Home and Finance, and the Principal Secretary of Revenue. It is reviewing all general and optional holidays observed in government offices and institutions across Madhya Pradesh.
At present, state employees enjoy Saturday–Sunday weekends and 26 general holidays each year. In addition, district collectors can declare three local holidays at the district level. Employees also receive casual, earned, medical, and optional leaves.
Sources said the government is planning to trim the number of holidays, and the committee may recommend discontinuing the five-day week introduced during the COVID-19 period. If accepted, the government could revert to the earlier schedule, with only the second and third Saturdays as holidays, effectively reducing around 26 off-days annually.
The panel is also examining holidays that have relevance only in certain regions and may suggest limiting them to local observance. Ganesh Chaturthi, for instance, which was once a local holiday, was recently declared a general holiday by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
The proposal, however, is facing opposition not only from employee unions but also from within the bureaucracy. One senior IAS officer on the committee is said to be against reducing holidays, citing employee morale and administrative efficiency
