Kolkata: The step taken by the state Power department of giving full day leave to its employees, who work mainly in its offices, on Saturday instead of half-day will save the state exchequer Rs 10 crore every year. The full-day leave on Saturday is only for those who work in offices. It will be done without hampering the emergency services which is essential to maintain undisrupted power supply. At the same time, payment of electricity bills on Saturday will be possible as usual. "The maintenance gang will always be ready to rush to any spot as usual. At the same time power generation, transmitting and distribution units will remain operational as usual. Payment of bills and other facilities will also be available on Saturdays. Just the offices will remain closed for a full day on Saturdays. It will save Rs 10 crore of the states exchequer," Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, the state Power minister said. "Earlier, offices used to remain open for half days on Saturdays. With the decision taken to keep it close for full day will save the maintenance cost of Rs 10 crore per annum including electricity bills," he said adding that at the same time a large section of the employees of the total 21,000 employees of the power utilities under the state government – West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL), West Bengal State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (WBSETCL), West Bengal Power Development Corporation limited (WBPDCL) and Durgapur Projects Limited – will be happy to get two days in a week. It has been done as it is practiced in other departments of the state government. Citing an example, Chattopadhyay said emergency services like hospitals remain open but the offices remain closed. Now it will be same in case of Power department employees from this year. The minister further said that it has come into effect from January 1, of this year. But the announcement in this regard was made later. He also added that three hours will get added to the total hours of work of the employees who will be getting two days leave every week. The three hours will get divided accordingly among the five working days in a week.

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