New Sikkim CM Introduces Five-Day Week For Govt Employees

Prem Singh Tamang, who took oath as Sikkim Chief Minister on Monday, has reduced the number of working days for government employees from six to five days in a week.

“We have fulfilled one of our election promises, to reduce the working week for government employees from six days earlier to five days,” he told reporters after meeting top government officials, reports The Scroll.

Tamang, who is popular as P.S. Golay, said government officials could use the extra holiday to tend to their health and their families.

He also said the MLAs in his government will use cheaper cars instead of the more expensive sport utility vehicles that the previous government had used. He had earlier accused former Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling of “misusing public money”.

On Monday, Governor Ganga Prasad had administered oath of office to the 51-year-old at a function in Gangtok’s Paljor Stadium. Golay, president of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, took oath in Nepali language.

According to a PTI report, Chamling and senior Sikkim Democratic Front leaders were not present at the swearing-in ceremony.

Golay is not a member of the state Assembly at present. The SKM won 17 seats in the 32-member Assembly. Chamling’s Sikkim Democratic Front won 15 seats, some by very narrow margins.