The state cabinet has decided to form an Uttarakhand State Agency for Public Service to resolve grievances of the public under the Right to Service Act. This mechanism will ensure timely action on public grievances. Supplementary budget of Rs 2175 crore was also approved to be tabled in the coming Vidhan Sabha session. Further, the cabinet also decided to ensure strict enforcement of the ‘no work- no pay’ principle in the future for government employees who undertake strike, though for the last time the cabinet has allowed adjustment of the days they were on strike with their casual leaves. The cabinet also decided to name the Dehradun airport after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. These and other decisions were taken in the meeting of the cabinet held here on Saturday. More than 20 issues were taken up in the meeting of the cabinet.
As the notification regarding the Vidhan Sabha has been issued, no formal media briefing of the cabinet meeting was held on the occasion. However, according to sources, the state government had studied the public grievance redressal system in place in Madhya Pradesh. On the lines of this system which has been found to be efficient, the state cabinet decided to form Uttarakhand State Agency for Public Service. Further it was also decided by the cabinet that the days the government employees didn't work while on strike so far will be adjusted with the casual leaves this time but from now on the principle of no work- no pay will be strictly enforced in the case of employees not working while on strike. The cabinet also decided to name the Dehradun airport after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Further, new permanent posts of teaching and non teaching staff were also approved for the women’s polytechnic in Dehradun, Gopeshwar and THDC in New Tehri. The Uttarakhand Purv Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited (UPNL) was authorised to facilitate those seeking employment overseas. The service manual for the Uttarakhand police armourer division was also approved while an amendment was made in the Panchayati Raj bill to prevent elected representatives from occupying two posts at the same time. In addition to this a committee was also formed under Finance minister Prakash Pant with cabinet ministers Madan Kaushik and Subodh Uniyal as its members for reviewing work proposals passed in the past to be undertaken by the Public Works Department. The use of a 7450 square metre industrial land in Kashipur for construction of a hospital was also approved by the cabinet. Amendments were also made in the contribution payable by Krishi Mandi Samitis to the agriculture produce marketing board. Further, in the case of a food park being constructed at Kashipur partial relief was approved to the agency concerned for its failure to meet all specifications of leaving a green-belt all around the premises though the Rs 3.94 crore fine will be taken in the case. Half of this amount will be taken now while the rest will be payable in four installments during the next year.