Long holidays leave government offices open only a few days in Kartik

Government offices, banks and public bodies reopened on Monday after nine consecutive days of Dashain holiday, but this month will see very few working days.

The Dashain holiday began on Saturday, Asoj 31, with Fulpati, and ended on Sunday with Kojagrat Purnima. Under the holiday schedule, after 5 working days, offices will again be closed for two days, Saturday and Sunday. After the next 5 working days, offices will be closed for six consecutive days from Saturday the 21st through the 26th, including Tihar.

Offices reopening on Friday the 27th will again close the following Saturday and Sunday, with Sunday also falling on Chhath festival. After that, offices will be open for just one day before Kartik ends.

By this count, out of the 30 days of Kartik, offices will be open for only about 12 days and closed for about 18 days. This situation has arisen because Sunday has also become a weekly holiday alongside Saturday, and because Dashain and Tihar fall in the same month. The long holidays are expected to affect government and public services available to citizens from these offices.