Ranchi, Nov. 13: Another Foundation Day, another long weekend. For government employees, the second one is the obvious choice.

Snubbed by the UPA allies in the run-up to the Foundation Day celebrations, the Madhu Koda government expected that the hundreds of employees working at Nepal House and Project Building — the two secretariats — would join the celebrations on November 15. But a visit to the twin secretariats today did not reveal a rosy picture with most of the employees preparing to enjoy a successive long festive weekend.

“Holidays are from November 15 to 18. With Chhath starting tomorrow, we are in no mood to stay back here, but to visit our native places. We have not been issued any official circulation that asks us to stay till November 15 for Foundation Day celebrations,” said a science and technology department official.

Even a deputy secretary rank official of the road construction department said that he had reserved a train ticket to Patna on November 14. “But I have cancelled the same as my secretary requested me to stay till 6pm on November 15 to take part in the celebrations,” he said.

The government’s Plan B — bestow awards and giving appointment letters — to rope in crowd during the celebrations at Morabadi has also come cropper. Departments like human resource development, sports, art and culture, home, rural development among others are yet to take a decision on the final list of recipients of awards in each category.

Shortlisting of 10 best teachers in three state universities has not been completed also. “Only Vinoba Bhave University has sent a list, but that too was done in haste,” said a senior official of the higher education directorate. After hectic rounds of meeting at sports, art, culture and youth affairs department, officials decided to award 30 sportspersons.

With filling space at the sprawling Morabadi grounds becoming a headache for the government, health minister Bhanu Pratap Sahi today offered a solution. He would bring 11,000 people, including 6,000 health department workers, to watch the celebrations live.

“I have ensured the presence of over 11,000 people at Morabadi on the Foundation Day. If the rest of the 11 ministers too do the same thing, the entire ground will be filled automatically. But I don’t know what others are doing. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the success of the show,” Sahi said.

This year, the administration hasn’t made any special arrangements to bring people from remote parts of the state. Most of the deputy commissioners have been directed to provide two buses each for bringing traditional village heads and others.