The Government of West Bengal has officially declared a half-day holiday on Tuesday, August 18, on the occasion of Maa Manasa Puja. A notification issued by the Finance Department on Monday specified that state government offices and educational institutions in the Bankura and Purulia districts will observe the holiday. As per the order, all normal operations will cease at 2:00 PM to allow employees and students to participate in the local festivities.
The order applies across all State Government offices, Local Bodies, Statutory Bodies, Boards, Corporations, and Undertakings under state control within Bankura and Purulia. Signed by the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal, the directive ensures that administrative and educational sectors in these two western districts shut early.
Copies of the notification have been dispatched to key administrative heads, including the District Magistrates, District Judges, and Superintendents of Police in both Bankura and Purulia, for immediate implementation. State authorities have advised all concerned departments to coordinate necessary arrangements so that public services transition smoothly prior to the afternoon closure.