In a bid to increase efficiency and reduce costs, the State government has decided to implement a five-day week for its employees from the month-end. The State Cabinet on Wednesday also decided to increase the working hours by 45 minutes on weekdays.
According to Central government guidelines, the five-day week has so far been implemented in Rajasthan, Bihar, Punjab, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Maharashtra’s five-day week proposal will help the government save on electricity, water, diesel vehicles and petrol.
The move will also allow government employees to raise their living standards by spending more time with their families.
“This proposal has been pending for a long time. We are happy the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government has implemented it,” said Cabinet Minister and Sena leader Eknath Shinde.
Under the new schedule, government employees will have to work for eight hours a day, 176 hours a month, 2,112 hours a year. A government official said, “Currently, the average working days in a year is 288. The work hours are seven hours 15 minutes per day, excluding 30 minutes of meal time. This leads to 174 working hours a month and 2,088 working hours a year. The extra work time will make up for the loss of working hours on Saturday and Sunday.”
Senior officials said the new working hours won’t be applicable for services deemed essential that come either under the Factory Act or the Industrial Dispute Act. They include government hospitals, police, prisons, water supply projects, fire brigade, cleaning workers. educational institutions, government colleges, medical colleges, schools, and technological institutions.
Exempted services
Other essential services include water resources workshops in Dapodi, Satara, Wardha, Akola, Ahmednagar, Ashti, Khadakwasla, Nashik and Nanded; regular establishment of regional works and projects under Central Resources and Water Resources and Public Departments in Nagpur and Bhandara; and regional workers on permanent and temporary employment.