Maharashtra: no jeans, slippers, T-shirts for govt employees

The Maharashtra government has set a dress code for government offices. Now, the government has banned jeans, T-shirts and slippers for government employees and contractual staff. Government employees have been asked to wear "appropriate formal clothes" because they represent the Maharashtra government.As per the order, employees are supposed to refrain from wearing clothes "with deep colours and strange embroidery patterns or pictures".

The circular  states women should wear sari, salwar, churidar-kurta or trousers with a kurta or a shirt and a dupatta, if required. Instead of slippers, women should wear chappals, sandals or shoes. Men should wear trousers and shirts. Employees have also been advised to wear khadi once a week to encourage use of handspun, said the circular issued on December 8. "It has been observed that several officials/staff ,mainly contractual staff and advisers engaged for government work, do not wear attire suitable for government employees. Hence, the image of government staff gets sullied among people. If the attire of officials and employees is unsustainable and unclean, it also has an indirect impact on their work," the circular said. Male employees should wear shoes or sandals henceforth.

In a bid to curb crimes against women and children the Maharashtra cabinet has also approved a draft bill called the Shakti act that has provisions for stern punishment, including the death penalty, life sentence, and hefty fines against perpetrators. The Shakti act is modelled on the lines of Andhra Pradesh’s Disha act, which was brought last year.