Nepal, July 22 -- The government has begun reviewing the country's public holiday policy amid growing concerns that an increasing number of holidays has slowed public service delivery.

A meeting of secretaries chaired by Chief Secretary Govinda Bahadur Karki has directed the formation of a task force, led by a joint secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs and comprising representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, and the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, to submit recommendations on revising the public holiday system within 25 days.

Nepal is among the countries in South Asia with the highest number of public holidays. Including the weekly...