Not feasible to make Patriots Day a restricted holiday: Govt

Declaring 'Patriots Day' and Manipur's 'Ningol Chakkouba' festival as restricted holidays for central government employees has not been found feasible, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said today.
The Patriots Day is observed on August 13 and the Ningol Chakkouba coincides with 'Bhai Duj'.
In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, he said the government has received a proposal to make these days as restricted holidays and include them in national calender.
"In view of the ceiling on the total number of holidays that can be declared in a year by the government, it has not been found possible to declare additional restricted holiday for the above occasions," said Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

As per the existing policy, the central government administrative offices observe 17 holidays in a year.
Out of these 17 holidays, 14 are pre-notified, compulsory holidays, which include three national holidays, namely, Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday.

The remaining three holidays are required to be selected, by the Central government employees welfare coordination committee, functioning in respective states, from another list of 12 occasions, the minister said.
In addition, individual employees are allowed two restricted holidays in a year to be selected from a notified list of such restricted holidays, he said.
As per policy, the Central government employees welfare coordination committee in the state capitals choose three holidays keeping in view the occasions of local importance.

"The coordination committees at the state capitals may draw up separate list of restricted holidays keeping in view the occasions of local importance," said Singh, who is also Minister of State for Development of North-Eastern Region.