Now Reading: Himachal makes Raksha Bandhan a holiday for all employees
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Himachal makes Raksha Bandhan a holiday for all employees
Himachal Pradesh has declared a statewide holiday on August 28 for Raksha Bandhan, ending the previous practice of reserving the day only for women employees. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's government issued…
Himachal Pradesh has declared a statewide holiday on August 28 for Raksha Bandhan, ending the previous practice of reserving the day only for women employees. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's government issued the notification on Thursday, making it a general holiday for all state government staff.
Until now, only female employees were allowed casual leave on the festival. The change means men too can now take the day off. Officials said the decision reflects the government's commitment to gender equality by removing the special holiday tag that applied solely to women.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Himachal's distinction of a women-only holiday dates to a 2016 notification under the previous BJP government, which allowed female employees a single day of casual leave on Raksha Bandhan while male employees worked. The Sukhu government's move to a universal holiday ends that gender-specific rule but raises a practical question: whether the extra cost of a full statewide shutdown, in foregone public services and overtime, is offset by the symbolic gain of equality. The circular applies to all departments, so police, health and emergency staff will likely need compensatory leave. The next comparable test will be if the government extends the same logic to other festivals with gender-linked concessions, such as the optional holiday for women on Karva Chauth.
Source: indiatvnews.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
