Bengaluru: Government employees in the state can now look forward to a a five- day week twice a month with the Cabinet on Thursday approving a proposal to give them a holiday on the second and fourth Saturdays from the next financial year.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, rural development and panchayat raj minister, Krishna Byregowda said the government had also decided to cut down the casual leave of its employees from 15 to 10 every year instead of depriving them of any restricted holiday.
The five- day working week for government employees was recommended by the 2001 Wage Commission and the government's own research revealed that around 17 to 18 states had already implemented it and five or six other states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh had introduced two five- day weeks every month. Karnataka decided to follow the latter model and not cut down on any government holiday to avoid hurting the sentiments of one or the other group. "As the calendar of events for this year has been announced, the new holiday structure will come into force from next year," he added.
The cabinet also decided to extend pension to college lecturers, who were hired on contract and whose services were regularised later on the orders of the court, which, however, refused to count their previous experience for benefits. While the lecturers had demanded both increments and pension based on their experience, the Cabinet only approved their demand for pension. This will benefit over 400 lecturers.
