Pongal Holiday is not in the List of Compulsory Holidays 2017

Pongal Holiday is not in the List of Compulsory Holidays 2017

In Tamil Nadu, agitation Programme is being organised against the government decision of not including the Pongal Holiday in the list of Compulsory Holidays for the year 2017 for central government offices.

It is quite a surprise that some Political parties and Tamil Media are telling that Central Government has removed the Pongal holidays from the List of Compulsory Holidays for the year 2017.

Since 2009, there is no such order issued by DoPT (A Nodal Ministry for Central government employees) that includes Pongal festival in the List of Compulsory Holidays. The Orders for Central Government Holidays from the year 2009 are available in DOPT website

The Holiday for the Festivals which are celebrated in States shall be decided by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in the State Capitals, if necessary, in consultation with Coordination Committees at other places in the State from the list of restricted Holidays declared by central government. There are three such Holidays can be decided by State Coordination committees or Co Ordination committees in Departments for Central Governments offices functioning in States.

It is not clear that whether any Central Government Department in Tamil Nadu has decided not to announce Holiday for Pongal. If that is the case, it is not a correct decision. The Co Ordination Committee of the concerned Department has every right to avail the Pongal Holiday from restricted Holidays list.

In the list of Restricted Holidays, all the Regional Festivals like Pongal, Onam, Holi, Chat Puja, Ugadi are included. They are not included in Compulsory Holidays List according to the DoPT Orders available from 2008

The List of Compulsory Holidays and restricted Holidays shown below has been issued since 2009

Related to Your Search:

• Include Pongal in list of compulsory holidays: Paneerselvam
• Holidays to be observed during 2017 in Central Government Offices in the state of Tamilnadu – Executive Committee Meeting of CGEWCC held on 10.1.2017 issue of corrigendum
• Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2016 – Dopt Orders on 11.6.2015
• Inclusion of more holidays in national calendar
• Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2014 – Dopt order
• Dusshera Holiday 2020 – Closed Holidays for the year 2020 – Latest DoPT Orders
• Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2013
• List of Holidays for Central Government offices 2015
• Pongal gazetted holiday in Tamil Nadu central government offices