Holiday competition

Mamata Banerjee gifts an additional holiday on November 3 to state employees

While most people have been cribbing about many public holidays, including Diwali, falling over a weekend this year, West Bengal government employees think otherwise. After enjoying more than a week’s holiday during Durga Puja, they are looking forward to a four-day Diwali weekend. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (pictured) had earlier announced an extra holiday during Durga Puja as a reward for state government employees, who had shunned the call for a day-long trade union strike in September. Now, the government has gifted an additional holiday on November 3 to state employees. It seems that government employees in the state may give tough competition to schoolchildren this festive season.