15-day special leave for Bihar govt staff for Vipassana course

The special leave will be granted to employees joining the residential meditation programme from outside Patna and only upon confirmation of their registration.

PATNA In a first, the Bihar government will grant 15-day special leave to its employees to join Vipassana, one of India’s most ancient techniques of meditation, according to a notification issued Thursday by the general administration department.

This follows chief minister Nitish Kumar’s announcement to this effect at the Bihar assembly building centenary function last week, which was attended by President Ram Nath Kovind. (HT PHOTO)

This follows chief minister Nitish Kumar’s announcement to this effect at the Bihar assembly building centenary function last week, which was attended by President Ram Nath Kovind.

“Vipassana meditation will have a positive impact on the efficiency of state government employees. It will lead to overall improvement in their personality and inter-departmental relationship. After due consideration, it has been decided to grant a maximum of 15-day special leave to the government employees to participate in the 10-day residential Vipassana programme, run by Pataliputra Vipassana Trust at the Buddha Smriti Park in Patna under the aegis of the urban development and housing department,” says the notification.

The special leave will be granted to employees joining the residential meditation programme from outside Patna and only upon confirmation of their registration.

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama had inaugurated the Buddha Smriti Park in 2010, which has relics of the Buddhist-era brought from Sri Lanka, Japan, Thailand, Myanmar and South Korea. It has a meditation centre, which has now been developed as Vipassana centre, museum and stupas.