KATHMANDU, Feb 24: After receiving complaints that there were too many public holidays, the government has decided to open essential services on public holidays except Saturdays.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Thursday decided to provide essential services related to banks, hospitals, passports and citizenship on public holidays except Saturdays. 

“Some holidays are not big but we have to give holidays on that day,” said Urban Development Minister Bikram Pandey. He said that the decision to allow essential services to be operated on such holidays has been taken by the cabinet meeting. "Now counters of essential offices such as district administration offices, banks, hospitals will be open even on public holidays."

This decision will be implemented after the government decides which offices are considered essential. Minister Pandey said that the Council of Ministers has also decided to give either extra leave or additional facilities to the employees of the office who serve on public holidays.

Even though experts have suggested reducing public holidays in Nepal, the government has been adding more holidays. Compared to 2078 BS, there are seven more public holidays in 2079 BS. In addition to that, the Council of Ministers has been announcing some more holidays. The then government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba added seven days of public holidays for the year 2079 BS. Prior to that, the KP Oli government had published a notice in the Nepal Gazette on March 22, 2021 and published the list of holidays to be given in 2078 BS. The Deuba government added seven days to the holidays given by the Oli government.

The current government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal has further increased the number of public holidays. According to the demand of the ruling Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), the cabinet decided to give a public holiday on Prithvi Jayanti. The Dahal government declared a public holiday on February 13 as 'People's War Day'.

Experts say that public holidays announced by the cabinet arbitrarily has benefited some people while it has caused problems for the general public.

In 2066 BS, the then government formed a five-member task force headed by then Home Secretary Govinda Kusum to study public holidays. The task force included the secretaries of the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Culture. The task force recommended the government to reduce the number of public holidays. But the recommendation of the task force was never implemented. The notice published in Nepal Gazette on March 22, 2021 has a list of various types of holidays such as festival holidays, holidays related to religion, culture, geographical location, Jatra holidays, Dashain and Tihar holidays.

Banks and financial institutions to provide services on holidays announced by the government

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has amended the regulations regarding office hours of banks and financial institutions. NRB has introduced a provision that banks and financial institutions must provide services even on public holidays announced by the government.

NRB announced that it has implemented such a system from February 24, amending the Unified Directive, 2079 BS issued to banks and financial institutions.

Arrangements are made to keep the offices of banks and financial institutions open from 10:00 am to 1:30 pm to provide essential banking services such as cash transactions, check clearing, real time gross settlement etc during public holidays. 

“Essential services have to be arranged,” reads the instruction issued by NRB.

 
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