KATHMANDU: The Nepal government has decided to grant 15 days as public holidays in the coming Nepali new year 2076 BS.

The government made its decision on national holidays (except Saturdays) public in the national gazette issued on Friday.

According to the decision, national holidays include April 14 (Nepali New Year), May 1 (Labor Day), May 18 (Buddha Jayanti), September 3 (Constitution Day), October 5 – 9 (Dashain), October 27-29 (Tihar), February 21, 2020 (Shivaratri), March 9, 2020 (Holi/Hill), March 10, 2020 (Holi/Tarai), March 11, 2020 (Women Day).

The government had slashed 13 public holidays in the year 2075 BS. Various ethnic communities protested against the government’s decision to cut public holidays. Following the protest, the government had formed a review task-force on public holidays under the coordination Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa.

However, the government has given continuity to its previous decision, rejecting the task-force’s recommendation. The task-force had recommended to add 12 public holidays on January 3, 2019.