In a record of sorts, the State cabinet while meeting on Sunday with the Chief Minister Harish Rawat in the chair took as many as 60 decisions the most prominent of them being including e-challaning to be issued to the vehicles used for mining at the barriers to be erected. It is learnt that the cabinet meeting ran for around seven and half hours, starting at 4 pm on Sunday. Sources say the number of decisions could have been over 70, given the trend. Some were finally left out as the cabinet failed to reach consensus.
Cabinet has given an option to the people who have built houses without having the maps approved to approach MDDA for compounding. Even if they have violated the approved map upto 15 percent they can approach MDDA for compounding.
Front setback would be 70 percent of total land and back setback minimum should be three feet as per the decision taken by the Cabinet. Only 30 percent construction on total areas would be acceptable.
The Cabinet stressed that compounding construction should be part of the main construction and scope of natural lights should not be tempered. Its ratio should not be more than 10 percent. Its fee would be applicable as per the November 1, 2005 circle rate, the cabinet stated. If applicant deposit compounding fee as one time settlement he would be given 10 percent rebate.
Cabinet has also decided to give land rights to the slum dwellers if they are residing in the areas under the local bodies. Those who have been illegally occupying Nazul land will have to pay to get right on the land they have been possessing.
Eligible families will be given ownership rights with a condition that they do not have lands and houses which identified under slum regularization process.
The cabinet has increased the remuneration of the education motivators known as Shiksha Prerak by Rs 1000 per month. From now they would get Rs 3000 per month in place of Rs 2000 they received earlier.
The Cabinet has approved Uttarakhand River Training Policy-2016 as part of which which mining would be done by lease holders. It has been decided that they can do mining upto one meter deep in the river bed mining (RBM) areas. The RBM will be removed by a notice issued in newspapers. Things would be decided by a committee led by the district magistrate. If situation demands more than one meter deep mining the miners will seek prior permission from the State Government through the DMs. Its validity would not be more than six months.
Cabinet has changed the nomenclature of the mining policy. It would be known now as chugan niti while it was known earlier as khanan niti. E-challans would be issued to the all the vehicles engaged in mining at the barriers. Besides, the Cabinet has approved storage of mining materials.
With the issuance of e-challans, passes can be downloaded from the internet. The revenue earned from mining and the quantum of mining would be reviewed at regular intervals.
New e-challans would be issued for the vehicles to be used to ferry mining materials outside the State. However, those who do mining with the help of mules or bullock carts have been exempted from paying fees at the barrier.
To help the poor earn a living from selling vegetables and the like, the cabinet has decided to provide them with carts with a size of 6.5 feet. The applicants should not be below 21 years and his annual income should not exceed Rs 4000 per month. However, the beneficiaries would be allowed to do business in designated areas.
Cabinet has also increased the pension amount for those having retired by January 1, 2006, and they will be given the equal amount along with others, irrespective of their service period. Even if the pension amount exceeds the prescribed limit the Government would not recover it from the pensioners. The family members of the Government employees dying in harness would be provided with family pensions for 10 years since the death of the employee with no age limit being fixed for it.