Why Did the TN Government Declare a Holiday on October 21?
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Synopsis
The Tamil Nadu government has announced a holiday on October 21 to ensure smooth travel for citizens returning home after Diwali. This decision, made in response to requests from teachers' associations, aims to ease congestion and prioritize the welfare of students and staff during the festive season.
Key Takeaways
- The Tamil Nadu government declared a holiday on October 21.
- This decision is to ease travel for those returning from Diwali celebrations.
- Normal operations in schools and colleges will resume on October 22.
- Saturday, October 25 will be a working day to compensate for the holiday.
- Feedback from various departments influenced this decision.
Chennai, Oct 18 (NationPress) The Tamil Nadu government has proclaimed a special holiday for all state government offices, public sector undertakings, schools, and colleges across the state on October 21 to facilitate smooth travel for citizens returning from their hometowns after celebrating Diwali.
Diwali occurs on October 20, and the government stated that this one-day holiday was declared "in consideration of the welfare of students, teachers, government staff, and public sector employees" who will be traveling to and from their native places during the festive period.
To balance this additional holiday, Saturday, October 25 has been designated as a working day for all government institutions and educational establishments.
This decision followed repeated requests from teachers' associations advocating for a holiday on the day after Diwali to ensure hassle-free travel for students and staff. The Tamil Nadu Primary School Teachers Association (TNPSTA) had urged the government to consider the logistical challenges faced by teachers and students traveling long distances to their native districts.
"For Diwali, teachers, students, and education department officials will travel to their hometowns over the weekend and return the next day. The transportation network is expected to be extremely congested," stated C. Arasu, State President of the TNPSTA. He emphasized that there has been a long-standing practice of granting a holiday on the day after major festivals to allow for convenient returns.
"Given the heavy travel rush, declaring October 21 as a holiday would help alleviate congestion. It can be compensated with a working Saturday," the association's statement noted.
According to government sources, this decision was made after reviewing requests from various departments and education bodies, along with feedback from transport and district officials.
The special holiday aims to ensure both safety and convenience for lakhs of individuals traveling across Tamil Nadu during the festive season.
With this announcement, schools and colleges will now observe a two-day Diwali break, with normal operations resuming on October 22.
Point of View
This decision by the Tamil Nadu government reflects an understanding of the logistical challenges faced by families during major festivals. By prioritizing the welfare of students and staff, the government demonstrates a commitment to public welfare, ensuring smooth travel and safety during this festive period.
NationPress
18/10/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Tamil Nadu government declare a holiday on October 21?
The holiday was declared to facilitate smooth travel for citizens returning home after Diwali, considering the welfare of students, teachers, and government staff.
What will be the impact of this holiday?
The holiday aims to reduce congestion in transportation networks, ensuring safer and more convenient travel for lakhs of people in Tamil Nadu.
When will schools and colleges resume normal operations?
Schools and colleges will resume normal operations on October 22.
How is this holiday compensated?
To compensate for the additional holiday, Saturday, October 25, has been declared a working day for all government institutions and educational establishments.
What prompted the government to declare this holiday?
The decision followed repeated appeals from teachers' associations highlighting the logistical difficulties faced by students and staff during travel.
