The UP government has declared a three-day Holi holiday from March 2 to March 4 for state employees. (Representative Image)The Uttar Pradesh government has declared a three-day holiday for Holi from March 2 to March 4 across state government offices, while issuing detailed directions to ensure timely salary payments to employees.In an order issued on the instructions of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, departments have been directed to ensure that salaries are disbursed before Holi.To ensure this, officials said the government has declared February 28 — a Saturday — as a working day to facilitate the completion of financial and administrative formalities and to ensure that salary disbursement to all categories of employees is completed before the festival.As part of the arrangement, government employees will be given a compensatory holiday on March 3 — and will get a three-day continuous holiday.The directive also covers outsourced personnel, contractual staff, sanitation workers and other support staff, with a clear warning that any negligence in this regard will not be tolerated.Officials across departments have been instructed to strictly comply with the directions so that employees receive their dues on time and public services remain unaffected during the festive period.The decision came as CM Adityanath returned from his four-day visit to Singapore and Japan on Friday morning.Story continues below this adThe visit yielded Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore and investment proposals amounting to Rs 2.5 lakh crore, the state government said on Thursday.According to the state government, the major companies with whom the MoUs were signed include Kubota Corporation, Spark Minda (in collaboration with Toyo Denso), Japan Aviation Electronics Industry and Nagase & Co. Ltd.Major corporations, such as Suzuki Motor Corporation, Honda Cars India Ltd., Konoike Transport Co. Ltd., Mitsui & Co. Ltd., Rapidus Corporation, Marubeni Corporation, Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. Ltd. and MUFG Bank, participated in ‘B2G’ meetings.Maulshree Seth is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, based in Lucknow. With over 15 years of experience in mainstream journalism, she has built a formidable reputation for her on-ground reporting across Uttar Pradesh. Her expertise spans a wide array of critical beats, including state politics, governance, the judiciary, and rural development. Authoritativeness Maulshree’s work is characterized by depth and historical context. Her coverage of high-stakes state elections and landmark judicial rulings has established her as an authoritative voice on the intersection of law and politics in Northern India. She is frequently recognized for her ability to gain access to primary sources and for her nuanced understanding of the socio-economic factors that drive the world's most populous sub-national entity. Trustworthiness & Ethical Journalism Her reporting is rooted in rigorous fact-checking and a steadfast dedication to neutral, unbiased storytelling. By prioritizing field-based verification—often traveling to the most remote corners of the state—she ensures that her readers receive a truthful and comprehensive view of events. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd