Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a three-day holiday for the festival of Holi for all state government offices from March 2 to March 4, according to an official government order.
The decision means government offices across the state will remain closed during the festival period. Authorities also confirmed that offices will function normally on Saturday, February 28, ahead of the holiday.
Alongside the leave announcement, the Chief Minister directed officials to ensure that salaries and wages of all government employees are released before the festival so that workers can celebrate Holi without financial difficulties.
The move applies not only to regular government employees but also to outsourced staff, contractual workers and sanitation workers, officials said.
Salary release ordered before Holi
Officials said the directive was issued to ensure that every category of employee receives their payment before the festival begins. The government has warned that any delay in releasing salaries or wages will be treated seriously.
Principal Secretary (General Administration) SVS Ranga Rao confirmed that the decision follows the state government’s holiday calendar issued earlier.
According to the calendar, Holika Dahan will be observed on March 2, while Holi celebrations fall on March 4. The government has also declared March 3 as a public holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, in view of the festival.
Announcement after CM’s foreign visit
The announcement was made shortly after Yogi Adityanath returned to Lucknow from an official visit to Singapore and Japan.
During the four-day trip, the Uttar Pradesh government held investment roadshows in Singapore, Tokyo and Yamanashi and signed several agreements aimed at boosting industrial development in the state.
According to officials, the delegation secured Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth ₹1.5 lakh crore, while investment proposals exceeding ₹2.5 lakh crore were received during the visit.
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The Chief Minister also participated in more than 60 meetings and events during the trip to promote Uttar Pradesh as an investment destination.
Officials said the government expects the investments to strengthen the state’s industrial sector and generate new employment opportunities in the coming years.
