Ayodhya Ram Temple Inauguration: Half-Day Holiday For Central Govt Offices & Institutions

New Delhi: All central government offices will remain closed for half day on January 22 on the occasion of the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed on Thursday.

“Due to the overwhelming sentiment of the employees and requests from them, the central government announces half day closing till 2,30 pm on January 22, 2024, at all central government offices, central institutions and central industrial establishments throughout India on the occasion of Ram Temple ‘Pran Pratishtha, ceremony,” said the official notification.

The state governments in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, and Madhya Pradesh have also announced January 22 as a public holiday to celebrate the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. School will remain closed in Haryana, which has also prohibited the consumption of liquor on the day of the consecration ceremony.

In Odisha, Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Sambalpur MLA of BJP Jaynarayan Mishra has requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to declare a public holiday in the state on the occasion. The state had announced a public holiday on January 17 to mark the inauguration of Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa, the Rs 800 crore heritage corridor around Puri’s renowned Jagannath Temple.

On the other hand, dry day has been declared in Kendrapada district on January 22 for the Ayodhya event. There was also a ban on sale of liquor in the district on January 17.