Five-day working week for Maharashtra government employees from Feb 29

In a sort of gift to 19 to 20 lakh employees, the Uddhav Thackeray government on Wednesday approved a five-day week.

The decision was taken at the weekly Cabinet meeting held at Mantralaya, the state secretariat here.

The working hours on week days will be increased by at least 45 minutes to compensate for the loss the additional day’s off is expected to incur.

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, had some reservation over the five-day week.

A government statement said the decision will make employees work 2112 hours annually which is higher than the previous average of 2088.

The state government officers and employees have been demanding five-day week for more than a decade's time.