CNG and PNG will become cheaper in Uttarakhand. The cabinet has approved reducing the VAT rate on natural gas from 20 percent to five percent. Meanwhile, the monthly pension for elderly artists and writers has been doubled. The Ayushman Yojana will be operated on an insurance model, and the monthly contribution for cashless treatment under the Golden Card scheme for employees and pensioners has been increased from Rs. 200 to Rs. 450.
Eleven proposals were approved in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday. Principal Secretary R. Meenakshi Sundaram and Health Secretary Dr. R. Rajesh Kumar provided information about the decisions taken in the meeting. The proposal for equal pay for equal work for UPNL employees has been deferred to the next cabinet meeting. To promote green and clean energy in the state, the government has approved reducing the VAT rate on natural gas (PNG and CNG) to five percent. This will make PNG and CNG cheaper in the state.
The Ayushman and Atal Ayushman schemes will be operated entirely on an insurance model. The Golden Card scheme for cashless treatment for employees and pensioners will operate in a hybrid mode, under which treatment costing less than Rs. 5 lakh will be covered under the insurance model, and treatment costing more than Rs. 5 lakh will be covered under the trust model. The monthly contribution deducted from the salaries and pensions of employees and pensioners for cashless treatment has been increased from Rs. 200 to Rs. 450, depending on the category. The cabinet has also decided that the government will bear the outstanding amount of approximately Rs. 125 crore for the Golden Card scheme.
Monthly pension for artists and writers to be doubled
In 2010, a monthly pension of Rs. 3000 was fixed for artists and writers in the state to support them in their old age, for their contribution in preserving and promoting the state’s cultural traditions and historical regional folk arts, songs, dances, musical instruments, and literature. The cabinet considered that the inflation rate has increased significantly since 2010. In view of this, the Cabinet has approved the promulgation of the Uttarakhand Monthly Pension for Elderly and Needy Artists and Writers (Amendment) Rules, 2025, to increase the monthly pension from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 6000.
Specialist doctors in remote areas will receive a 50 percent additional allowance.
The Cabinet approved the Uttarakhand Medical Education Service (Amendment) Rules, 2025. Under these rules, the age limit for the appointment of Professors and Associate Professors has been increased from 50 to 62 years. Departments have also been created for Super Specialty Services as per the rules of the new National Medical Commission. In addition, four posts have been created for the Swami Ram Cancer Institute, Haldwani. To ensure the presence of specialist doctors in hilly, remote, and extremely remote areas under the PMHS cadre, a decision has been taken to provide them with a 50 percent additional allowance. Approximately 250 specialist doctors will benefit from this.
Other important decisions:
– The Cabinet referred the matter of providing equal pay for equal work to a total of 277 personnel working on contract, daily wage, fixed salary, and through the management committee at the Government Medical College, Srinagar, to the Cabinet Sub-Committee.
– Approval for the procurement of Royal Delicious apples at Rs. 51 per kilogram and Red Delicious apples at Rs. 45 per kilogram (excluding Grade-C apples) from the disaster-affected Dharali and surrounding areas (Uttarkashi) by the Horticulture and Food Processing Department.
– Maps of low-risk and small commercial buildings can now be self-certified and approved by architects empanelled with the authority. This was previously approved by the Chief Minister through a deviation, which has now been ratified by the Cabinet.
– Approval of the Uttarakhand General Industrial Development Control (Amendment) Regulations, 2025. Ground coverage will increase for MSMEs and small industries. This was previously approved through a deviation, and has now been ratified by the Cabinet.
– Approval of the restructuring of the organizational framework of the Uttarakhand Bamboo and Fiber Development Council. – 13 previously created permanent posts of a professional and technical nature will be filled through the open market or outsourcing.
– The Cabinet has approved the inclusion of the work-charged service period of work-charged employees of the Irrigation and Public Works Department for pension calculation. More than 6000 employees will benefit.
– The land belonging to the Press Club will be transferred to the Information Department. Director General of Information Banshidhar Tiwari said that the Information Department will construct a building on this land.
