Dehradun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has approved a reinvestigation into the irregularities in the 2013 Forest Guard (Recruitment from Casual Laborers) Exam at Rajaji National Park. Retired officer HK Singh is the accused in this case. Ranjan Kumar Mishra, Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, Uttarakhand, has been designated as the investigating officer, and Vaibhav Kumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Chakrata Forest Division, has been designated as the presenting officer.
In addition, the Enforcement Directorate has approved prosecution against Akhilesh Tiwari (Admn. IFS), the then Deputy Conservator of Forests and Divisional Forest Officer, Kalagarh Tiger Reserve, Lansdowne, as part of its proceedings against public servants accused in money laundering cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
Dearness Allowance Approved for Employees of State Bodies and Undertakings: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has also approved dearness allowance for employees of autonomous bodies/undertakings of the state government. The rate of dearness allowance for employees of the state government and autonomous bodies/undertakings drawing salaries under the fifth and sixth pay scales has been approved, effective July 1, 2025, from 466 percent to 474 percent in the fifth pay scale and from 252 percent to 257 percent in the sixth pay scale.
Smart Cities for Hilly Areas: Chief Minister Dhami has approved the development of the state’s hilly areas as smart cities. In the first phase of developing the hilly areas of Uttarakhand as smart cities, the Chief Minister has approved the development of Pithoragarh Municipal Corporation, Barahat Municipal Council, Uttarkashi (tourist destination), and Gairsain Nagar Panchayat (summer capital) as smart cities.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister has approved a sum of ₹39.68 crore for various development projects. Under the Urban Development Department, the Chief Minister has approved ₹13.46 crore for the construction of the Devbhoomi Silver Jubilee Park in 17 municipal bodies, and ₹2.22 crore for the construction of tube wells, rising mains, and related works in Gangotri Vihar under the North Branch of Dehradun district. Additionally, CM Dhami approved a ₹6.81 crore scheme for the restructuring of the Zone 1 Shivalik Nagar Pumping Water Supply Scheme proposed under SASCI on the PM Gatishakti portal, ₹3.25 crore for five schemes under the AMRUT 2.0 State Water Action Plan-2, ₹10.00 crore for the installation of AMR water meters on non-domestic water connections of urban drinking water schemes under the Central Storage Branch of Dehradun district, and ₹3.94 crore for the improvement of 10 km of internal roads of the Public Works Department in the rural areas of Banbasa in the Champawat Assembly constituency of Champawat district under the Chief Minister’s announcement.
