The Chief Minister announced the proposed reduction during a press conference at the state secretariat, Nabanna, on Wednesday night. He said the Finance Secretary had initially prepared a proposal to reduce the annual holidays to 45 days, but he directed the department to bring the figure down further to 40 days.
Adhikari said he had specifically called the Finance Secretary and instructed him to reduce the number of holidays. Recalling the discussion, the Chief Minister said, "I called the Finance Secretary and told him that the number of holidays would have to be reduced. He presented a list of 45 days. I asked him to reduce it further to 40 days."
However, the final list of festivals and special occasions for which holidays may be discontinued has not yet been prepared. The Chief Minister said a large number of official tasks remain pending across various state government departments. Reducing holidays, he said, is necessary to speed up administrative functioning and improve the work culture.
During the previous Trinamool Congress government's tenure, the number of government holidays had increased to include various religious and social events, as well as the birth anniversaries of prominent personalities. The new government now intends to review the existing holiday calendar and reduce the number of holidays.
It remains unclear which festivals and special occasions will lose their status as government holidays. The complete picture will emerge only after the Finance Department prepares the revised list and issues an official notification.
If the proposed changes are implemented, the number of working days in West Bengal government offices could increase, marking a change in the state's existing holiday schedule.
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