Lucknow, Feb. 28 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday directed that salaries for all government employees be disbursed before Holi and declared that holidays for the festival will be observed from March 2 to 4 while February 28 (Saturday) will be a working day. The chief minister issued these instructions to the administration after returning to Lucknow from his two-nation tour of Singapore and Japan on Friday morning. He described his visit as one that would give a new direction to UP's industrial future. He further ordered the release of wages for outsourcing staff, contractual workers, sanitation workers, and all other employee categories before the festival so that no employee faces financial inconvenience during the celebrations. He warned that any laxity or negligence in complying with the orders regarding payments and holidays will not be tolerated. The list of holidays declared for 2026 included Holika Dahan on March 2 and Holi on March 4, according to principal secretary, General Administration, SVS Ranga Rao, citing an order dated November 17, 2025. In a notification issued on Friday, the state government declared a public holiday on March 3 under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, on the auspicious occasion of Holi. In light of this decision, all government offices in the state will function normally on February 28 (Saturday). It has been decided to keep offices, institutions, banks, and treasuries open. Earlier in the day, senior officials welcomed the chief minister at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport. During the tour, the state government received MoUs worth Rs.1.5 lakh crore and investment proposals exceeding Rs.2.5 lakh crore. Once implemented, these proposals are expected to create employment opportunities for more than 5 lakh youth, an official statement said. During the four-day overseas visit, the CM participated in over 60 formal meetings and events across both countries. Three major investment road shows were organized - one each in Singapore, Tokyo and Yamanashi. The chief minister has directed Invest UP and the departments concerned to promptly take the investment proposals forward. Overall, the visit proved significant not only for attracting investment but also for strengthening UP's global profile and economic prospects, the statement added....