Keeping in view of upcoming lok Sabha election, the Vijay Bahuguna Government has opened its kitty for people of the State.
For this, the Bahuguna Cabinet has taken several decisions, including Right to Services (Amendment) Act – 2014; seven new Nagar Panchayats sanctioned; Slum colonies of Dehradun to be regularized; Increase in pensions amounts of Old Age, Widow and Handicapped; Increase in amount given to encourage inter caste and inter religion marriages; Hotel owners relieved from entertainment tax; increase in amount of annuity amount bravery award winners; Textile business to get waiver; Daily wage earners employed in local urban bodies also be regularized; Free medical treatment for APl; Shortage of doctors to be removed; Food Allowance increased in residential institutions and Uttarakhand Agriculture and Technology Bill 2014.
The Cabinet has approved the Right to Services Act in the State. If the services are not provided within stipulated period, a complaint can be lodged. A commission will be constituted to make an appeal to. Now, an appeal can be made if the services are not provided within 60 days.
Cabinet has approved formation of new Nagar Panchayats. Haridwar district’s Bhagwanpur and Shiwalik Nagar have been given a Nagar Panchayat status. Others include Daalwala in Rishikesh, Ghansali in Tehri, Satpuli in Pauri, Berinag in Pitthoragarh and Banbaa in Champawat. Cabinet has also decided to give ownership rights to the people of the slum colony. With this 126 colonies of Dehradun will be regularizes and 500 slums were identified.
A committee of eleven led by the DM was formed for this work. The committee will work on surveys of these villages. It has also been decided that the residents of slum colonies will be able to register their properties as per the circle rates as on 9th Nov, 2000. The residents of slum colonies will now be able to get electricity, water and roads on easy basis.
Cabinet has also decided to relax the hotel owners from paying entertainment tax in order to revive their business after the slump caused due to disaster. The cabinet has given relaxation of entertainment taxes up to 18 months for hotels which have installed only TV and DTH. This relaxation will be valid between January 1, 2014 and June 30, 2015. This will cause a loss of Rs 90 lakh for the Government.
Cabinet has also increased the amount of gallantry award winners. Now Param Veer Chakra winner will get Rs 30 lakh instead of Rs 25 lakh and 15 lakhs for Veeer Chakras and Sahurya Chakras instead of Rs ten lakh. BJP spokesperson Prakash Suman Dhyani said that cabinet decision is just like old wine in new bottle. During the BJP regime, the State Government had taken decision to regularize the slums and incumbent Government was supposed to execute on ground. Now State Government has tried to present the same thing in new form.