Bhubaneswar: The state government has declared September 9 (Monday) as a holiday for all schools in Odisha for this year’s Nuakhai festival.

The School and Mass Education (S&ME) department of the state government today issued a statement in this regard.

All government, government-aided and private schools under the S&ME department will remain closed on September 9 (Monday) for the Nuakhai festival, said the government.

The state government had earlier declared September 9 as a holiday for all government offices and magisterial courts in Odisha.

As Nuakhai, the popular agrarian festival of Western Odisha, falls on September 8 (Sunday), Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has declared September 9 as a holiday, said the state government in a statement a few days ago.