Yogi Govt Gifts UP Employees Early Salary & 3-Day Holi Break

New Delhi, February 27, 2026: In a significant festive gesture, the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has announced a three-day holiday for the upcoming Holi festival. To further enhance the celebrations for the state’s workforce, the administration has also ordered the early disbursement of salaries and pensions, ensuring that employees have ample liquidity for the festivities.

UP Government Announces Extended Holi Break

The state government has officially declared a public holiday spanning from March 2 to March 4, 2026. This decision ensures that government offices, schools, and colleges across Uttar Pradesh remain closed, allowing citizens and state employees to celebrate the “Festival of Colors” with their families.

The holiday schedule is structured as follows:

• March 2 (Monday): Public holiday on account of Holika Dahan.
• March 3 (Tuesday): Public holiday for Holi.
• March 4 (Wednesday): Extended holiday for continued celebrations and local festivities.

Combined with March 1 (Sunday), most employees will enjoy a four-day long weekend, providing a much-needed reprieve and a chance for those working away from home to travel back to their native towns.

Advance Salary: A Festive Gift for 2.7 Million People

Recognizing that festivals bring additional expenses, CM Yogi Adityanath has directed the Finance Department to release the salaries for February 2026 ahead of schedule.

Typically, salaries are credited on the first of the month. However, since March 1 falls on a Sunday and is followed by the Holika Dahan holiday on March 2, the government has moved the payout date to February 28, 2026.

Who Will Benefit?

The order applies to a broad spectrum of the state’s workforce and retirees:

• 1.5 Million State Employees: Includes all regular government staff.
• 1.2 Million Pensioners: Includes those receiving family pensions.
• Academic Staff: Employees of aided educational and technical institutions.
• Local Bodies: Workers in urban local bodies and municipal corporations.
• Contractual Staff: The directive also urges the timely payment of honorariums for outsourced and daily-wage workers.

Administrative Directives for Smooth Implementation

To ensure that no technical glitches delay the payments, the state Finance Department has issued strict instructions to all District Magistrates (DMs) and Treasury Officers.

“The government aims to ensure that no employee or pensioner faces financial constraints during one of the state’s most significant cultural celebrations. Prompt compliance with the disbursement order is mandatory across all districts,” the official notification stated.

Additionally, the Director General of School Education has separately instructed that all teaching and non-teaching staff, including those on contract or out-sourced, receive their dues before the holiday begins.

Strengthening the Festive Spirit

This move is consistent with the Yogi government’s “pro-worker” approach during major festivals like Diwali and Holi. By aligning the administrative calendar with cultural needs, the state intends to boost local markets and ensure that the spirit of the festival remains unburdened by financial or logistical hurdles.

With the advance salary hitting bank accounts by February 28, the streets of Lucknow, Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Mathura are expected to see a surge in festive shopping and preparations over the coming weekend.