This year the government employees would enjoy nine days holidays during Durga Puja.
The Council of Ministers in a meeting on Wednesday decided to give Durga Puja holiday for employees from October 2 to 10, said Information and Cultural Affairs minister Sushanta Chowdhury after the cabinet meeting to the press.
Earlier the government employees used to enjoy only four holidays during the festival.
Apart from employee friendly decision the state cabinet also took up the matter that directly related to the public health and environment too—Organic certification- which would help those involved in much touted organic farming in the state. Chowdhury said, the cabinet had decided to set up an organic certification agency under the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
Although organic farming happened to be world-wide craze and organic produces had huge market globally in Tripura only 2000 hectares had been under the organic farming. At present it went up to 21,000 hectares. This came as a strong fillip to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal to declare the North East as organic region. “The Tripura government is working in line with the Prime Minister’s goal”, said Chowdhury.
He pointed out, while organic products bereft of any chemical fertilizers are good for health and profitable and there is huge demand. He said proposed the name of the agency would be Tripura State Organic Product Certification Agency.
In another decision, the cabinet approved allotment of land for 52 families displaced due to the setting up of Integrated Check Post at Sabroom.
Chowdhury said, the government would allot total 2.08 acres of land to the displaced people.
There were some other important decisions that the cabinet had taken. These would be announced by Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha during the launching programme of ‘Prati Ghore Sushasan’ campaign on September 17, the birthday of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.