Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5.30 pm; move to make Saturday a holiday for government offices

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government is considering giving Saturdays as holidays to government employees. A discussion will be held with representatives of organizations on September 11 at 3 pm at the Durbar Hall of the Secretariat. Comments can be sent to gadcdn4@gmail.com.

It was the Administrative Reforms Commission, chaired by VS Achuthanandan, that recommended in 2019 a five-day work week in government offices and a holiday on Saturdays. There are also recommendations such as gradually increasing the retirement age of officials to 60 years, reducing public holidays and casual leave, extending office hours from 9 am to 5.30 pm, providing a half-hour break for lunch between 1.30 pm and 2 pm, and ensuring that employees work for a specified time by recording the time they arrive at and leave the office.

The current 20 casual leaves for government employees in a year should be reduced to 12. Holidays should be divided into three categories: public holidays, special holidays and restricted holidays. Public holidays include Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti, May Day, two days of Onam, Christmas, Eid-ul-Fitr and Mahanavami. One person should be entitled to eight of the special holidays. Restricted holidays should continue as they are now.