Bengaluru: Based on the recommendation by the state Pay Commission, the Karnataka Cabinet yesterday decided to declare 4th Saturdays as government holiday.
Also the cabinet decided to bring down casual leaves from 15 to 10 days. Speaking to reporters, Rural Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda announced the decision. In 2011, the Pay Commission had recommended five-day week and the current paypanel also stuck with it.
It is to be noted that the State Cabinet had discussed about reducing the number of festival holidays but could not implement it as it might hurt sentiments of certain sections. So, the cabinet has decided to reduce the number of days of casual leave.
But it has not been decided as to whether these changes will be implemented immediately or from next year and discussions with the Chief Minister would be held regarding the issue, said Gowda.
Several other decisions were taken by during the cabinet meet. In order to bring in transparency, counselling through computerised system will be conducted for transfer of group C and D government employees and a draft bill was approved.
Outsourcing maintenance of pure drinking water units by calling for tender was decided. A media report quoted Gowda saying that 16,000 pure drinking water units out of the 18,000 approved by the Rural Development department have been installed across Karnataka at taluk levels. But there was no clear policy on their maintenance.
The cabinet asked the Chief Secretary to implement an ordinance promulgated to protect the interests of gazetted officers in 1998 in a way that it does not affect the promotions of officers recruited in subsequent years. On whether the cabinet discussed about the opposition to its last week decision on sale of 3,667 acres of land to JSW Steel, Gowda said, the issue did not come up.