+Dehradun: A total of 11 proposals were approved in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday. These mainly included two important proposals related to the Medical and Medical Education Department, on which the cabinet gave its consent. Decisions were also taken regarding the Atal Ayushman Yojana and the Golden Card scheme operating in the state.
11 proposals approved in the cabinet meeting: Under this, the Atal Ayushman Yojana will be operated in insurance mode and the Golden Card scheme in hybrid mode. Along with this, the state government has decided to reduce the VAT rate on natural gas from 20 percent to five percent. After the cabinet meeting, Principal Secretary Housing Department R. Meenakshi Sundaram informed about the important decisions.
These important proposals were approved in the cabinet meeting:
- The VAT rate on natural gas has been reduced from 20 percent to 5 percent to promote green energy.
- Apples from the Dharali disaster-affected areas will be purchased by the Horticulture Department. Royal Delicious apples will be purchased at the rate of Rs 51 per kg and Red Delicious apples at the rate of Rs 45 per kg.
- The monthly pension amount for elderly artists and writers in Uttarakhand under the Culture Department has been increased from Rs 3000 to Rs 6000.
- Under the Ease of Doing Business initiative in the Housing Department, as per the directions given by the Government of India, low-risk buildings can now be self-certified and approved by empanelled architects. This proposal had been passed by deviation. The cabinet has now given its consent to this.
- Amendments were made to the rules to reduce the compliance burden and promote ease of doing business. Under this, the ground coverage for MSME units and industrial units has been increased.
- The structure of the Fiber Development Council has been amended. Technical staff will now be hired through outsourcing instead of being on the regular payroll. Additionally, it has been decided to include the work-charged service period of Irrigation and PWD work-charged employees for pension calculation.
Decision regarding health schemes: The promulgation of the Uttarakhand Medical Education Service Amendment Rules, 2025 has been approved. Along with this, decisions have been taken regarding the Atal Ayushman Yojana, Ayushman Yojana, and Golden Card scheme. The Atal Ayushman Yojana will be operated on an insurance mode. The Golden Card scheme will be operated in a hybrid mode. For claims below ₹5 lakh, the insurance mode will be used. Claims above ₹5 lakh will be handled under the trust mode. The contribution made by employees to the trust will increase by approximately ₹250 to ₹450.
Uttarakhand Medical Education Service Amendment Rules:
- Approval granted for the promulgation of the Uttarakhand Medical Education Service Amendment Rules, 2025
- The age limit for the appointment of Associate Professors has been increased from 50 to 62 years.
- Four posts have been created at Swami Ram Cancer Hospital.
- The matter of equal pay for equal work at Srinagar Medical College has been referred to a sub-committee.
- Specialist clinical doctors working in remote and extremely remote areas will be given a 50 percent additional allowance.
