Retirees to get more pension

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 26

The Uttarakhand Cabinet that met last night approved a host of decisions, including the revision of pension and family pension of state government employees who retired before 2006, new River Training Policy (2016), rehabilitation policy for those affected by the projects on the Bindal and Rispana.

The decision to revise family pension and pension of state government employees who retired before 2006 will benefit more than 25,000 employees of the state.

In the river training policy, NGOs will be involved in identifying areas where there is the maximum collection of riverbed material and then through advertisements, applications will be invited for clearing the materials under the supervision of the District Magistrates.

Further river picking will be allowed till one metre deep and permission will have to be sought from District Magistrates. An approval has also been given to River Picking Policy (2016) .

In order to rehabilitate the families affected by river development front projects on the Rispana and Bindal, the government has given a nod to the rehabilitation policy that will be effective in the districts where river development front project is under way.

The Cabinet has also given a nod to the Jan Awas Yojana for the poor and low income families for which norms have been set.

The government has also approved guidelines for regularisation of Malin Bastis on nazul land in all urban local bodies

The Cabinet will provide assistance to poor disabled persons through setting up of kiosks or small shops for business purpose (total cost Rs 20,000).

To bring relief to taxi operators, the government has decided to waive 50 per cent tax on those who hold green card and in five districts that were declared disaster affected in 2013.

Further, the government has decided to approach the Centre to allow it reduction in Eco-Sensitive Zone (ECZ) falling between Gomukh to Gangotri.

Other important decisions that were approved include absorption of contractual employees of UPNL in various departments against the vacant posts on contractual basis.

Hike in honorarium of ASHA workers working in the hilly areas, hike in honorarium of PTA teachers to Rs 10,000 per month, and approval for providing compensation to those wanting to move out from the Kedar Dham area that is falling outside the radius of 50 metre on the right and left sides. Around 21 families had taken compensation, while 11 families had asked the government to build them houses

The Cabinet has also approved setting up of a committee under the Chief Secretary for acquiring land for initiating tourism schemes costing above Rs 10 crore. This is being done to give the impetus to tourism as an industry in the long run.

Further approval has also been given for reducing the cost of wheat from Rs 5 to Rs 4 distributed under the State Food Security Scheme at Fair price shops.