The Meghalaya Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to increase special casual leave for government employees from 15 days to 30 days, replacing the outdated policy that previously limited it to just 15 days per year. The decision aims to modernize existing regulations and support employees participating in sports and athletic events. In such cases, the period of participation will be recognized as official duty rather than being deducted as leave.
Announcing the decision, Cabinet Minister and government spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh said, “There was an existing arrangement, a circular, which has now been found to be outdated, where the number of days allowed for government employees to avail of special casual leave was just 15 days in a year.” He highlighted that the revised policy aligns with contemporary needs, particularly as Meghalaya prepares for major sporting events.
Reinforcing the government’s commitment to sports and athletic participation, Lyngdoh emphasized, “More importantly, the need to allow government employees, who are also taking part in games and athletic meets, and whenever such occasions arise where various sports and games require participation of government employees, that particular period will be treated as a period where government employees are actually performing their duties and will not be counted as leave.”
With the state gearing up for the forthcoming National Games, the move is expected to facilitate better representation of government employees in sporting events while also enhancing the state’s preparedness. “This will also help the state in meeting various requirements, especially in view of the forthcoming National Games,” Lyngdoh added.