Kathmandu, January 3

The government has decided to increase the number of public holidays by 13 days. With this, civil servants will enjoy 102 public holidays in addition to Saturdays.

A decision to this effect was made as per the recommendation of a public holiday review committee comprising Minister of Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa, Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari and Minister of Urban Development Mohammad Istiyak Rai.

Earlier, the Council of Ministers had formed the committee taking into consideration demands from various communities that public holidays be declared for their respective festivals.  With this decision, there will be public holidays in nine more festivals, which include Ubhauli, Buddha Purnima, Eid-ul-Fitr, Bakra Eid, Mohammad Jayanti, Christmas, Tamu Lhosar, Sonam Lhosar, Gyalpo Lhosar, Chhath, Rishi Panchami (for women only), Maghi and Janai Purnima.

In March, the government had decided to cut down the number of public holidays by 22 days. The Ministry of Home Affairs had proposed to trim the number of holidays allotted in a working year. As per that decision, the number of public holidays has come down to 89 days from the previously set 104 days.

Employees associated with emergency and essential services such as hospitals, rope-ways, police, immigration, prisons, fire brigades, Radio Nepal, Nepal Television, press, postal offices and telecommunications, may take leave in lieu as they are required to provide services even during public holidays, the new decision states.