The 7th CPC likely to abolish gazetted holidays

Wednesday, 12 August 2015

SEVENTH PAY COMMISSION LIKELY TO ABOLISH GAZETTED HOLIDAYS

New Delhi: The Seventh Pay Commission is expected to reward the central government by its recommendation
 on abolishing 18 days gazetted holidays and to provide three days national holidays to central government
employees to reform the work culture in central government offices.

Vivek Rae, Member, Seventh Central Pay Commission

Pay commission sources said the number of holidays
 should come down to improve work culture.

The sources also added, “A survey has revealed that
 India has the highest number of gazetted holidays 
per year and close on her heels are her Asian 
neighbours like Philippines, China, Hong Kong, 
Malaysia. We need to cut down on holidays to 
facilitate more work culture.”

The sources argued that the government offices 
worked only for 196 days in India in a year. Besides, 
whenever there was election, the government servants
 were pressed into election work. This affected the routine government business, sources contended.

Earlier, the sixth central pay commission 
recommended that central government offices 
should remain closed only on three national holidays
 (Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti) and all other gazetted holidays should be 
abolished and the number of restricted holidays (optional) depending on one’s religious persuasion should be
 increased from two to eight days.

The Seventh Central Pay Commission is also likely to make suggestion for flexible work hours for women and 
employees with disabilities.

Flexible working gives them greater choice over when and where they work, allowing them to better manage 
their work-life balance

“As flexi working hours will allow women central government employees to strike a balance between her 
professional and family responsibility, maintain healthy lifestyles and contribute to parenting well, it is 
recommended for the same and urge upon the government to work out the modalities in this direction,” the 
pay panel source said.

“Flexible working can also provide central government employees with disabilities with a ‘bridge’ into 
retirement. Many of surveys show that often the complete loss of professional work account of disability can 
leave employees with disabilities feeling depressed and unmotivated, even to the point of affecting mental 
health. Flexible working time can help employees with disabilities delay retirement without giving up too 
much of their hard-earned freedom.” said an official.

Source:- The Sen Times