Dehradun: The Uttarakhand Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, approved 12 important proposals during a meeting held at the Secretariat on Thursday. The decisions covered administration, education, tourism, agriculture, excise, animal husbandry, and employee welfare.
The Cabinet approved amendments to the Uttarakhand Sanskrit Rules-2026 and also endorsed a proposal to declare the state fully literate.
Due to disruptions in the availability of bitumen for road construction projects, the Cabinet decided to extend the contract periods of affected tenders. It also approved amendments to excise regulations, eliminating double taxation on VAT and cess.
Promotion of Agriculture and Tourism
To encourage the development of aromatic plants, a perfume testing laboratory will be established at the Aromatic Plant Centre in Selaqui.
To strengthen tourism, the Cabinet also approved the organization of the Himalayan Car Rally, an international event expected to attract participation from around 25 countries.
Major Relief for UPNL Employees
In a significant decision, the Cabinet approved the principle of “equal pay for equal work” for employees working under the Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam (UPNL). Employees who fall outside the previously specified cut-off date will also be eligible for the benefit.
Other Key Decisions
- A formal definition of a habitual offender has been incorporated into prison regulations.
- Service rules have been amended to increase the number of posts in various departments.
- The Cabinet approved 10% horizontal reservation for statehood movement activists in recent recruitment processes.
- The government will bear 20% of the insurance premium for animals used during the Char Dham Yatra, with an estimated expenditure of approximately ₹1 crore.
- A pilot artificial insemination project under the Animal Husbandry Department was also approved.
These decisions are being viewed as important steps toward employee welfare, tourism promotion, education, agriculture, and good governance.
