All central government offices will remain closed for half a day on January 22 on the occasion of the Ram temple consecration ceremony to be held in Ayodhya, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday. “The Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya will be celebrated on 22nd January, 2024 across India. To enable employees to participate in the celebrations, it has been decided that all Central Government Offices, Central Institutions and Central Industrial Establishments throughout India will be closed for half day till 1430 hours on 22nd January, 2024,” an office memorandum issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) stated. A source said that the decision was taken in response to the “overwhelming sentiment and demands of employees” to participate in the celebrations. “Various activities have been planned by organisations and groups of people across India and abroad to coincide with the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya,” the source said. “Doordarshan has made elaborate arrangements for live telecast of the entire event, which will also be shown live on several private TV channels. Arrangements have also been made for the screening of the Ayodhya ceremony live on large screens at public places in India and abroad,” the source said.
