Ayodhya Ram Mandir consecration: List of states that have declared a dry day on Jan 22

Ayodhya Ram Mandir ceremony: The Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya will take place amid much grandeur on January 22. Due to this, several state governments have either declared the day a public holiday or a half-day to observe the event.

Many states including Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Madhya Pradesh have imposed bans on the sale of liquor, meat and fish to observe the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22. 

Assam government, led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, said in a press conference that tomorrow will be a dry day in Assam. He also said that restaurants will not be allowed to serve non-vegetarian food till 2 pm whereas meat or fish shops would not be allowed to open till 4 pm. 

Madhya Pradesh government has declared a state holiday for government offices along with a dry day on Monday. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also declared that liquor shops will remain closed on January 22 along with a state holiday. 

Other states such as Tripura and Delhi have announced that all offices and educational institutions will remain closed till 02:30 pm on January 22. Himachal Pradesh government has also declared a public holiday in the state on Monday. 

Not only this, the Central government has also announced that all its offices, institutions and industrial establishments shall remain closed for half-day on January 22 due to the Pran Pratishtha event.

A half-day has also been declared for all public sector banks (PSBs), as per a Finance Ministry notification. Insurance companies, financial institutions and regional rural banks (RRBs) across the country will remain closed for half-day on January 22.

Private sector banks, however, will remain open as per the Reserve Bank of India's holiday list. 

List of states observing 'dry day' on January 22

1. Delhi 

2. Uttar Pradesh

3. Madhya Pradesh

4. Assam 

5. Maharashtra 

6. Chhattisgarh

7. Himachal Pradesh

8. Uttarakhand 

9. Haryana

10. Tripura

11. Goa

12. Odisha 

13. Rajasthan 

14. Gujarat

15. Chandigarh

16. Puducherry 

BSE, NSE closed on January 22 

Monday has been declared as a holiday for the stock exchanges -- BSE and NSE-- due to the public holiday declared by Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government due to the Ram Mandir ceremony. There will be no transactions and settlements in government securities (primary and secondary), foreign exchange, money markets and rupee interest rate derivatives on that day, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in a circular on Friday.

A full-fledged trading session was previously held on Saturday, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) said on Friday. 

Also Read: Ram temple consecration: AIIMS-Delhi reverses decision to stay closed for half day after backlash

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