In what may be viewed by some as decisions aimed at placating a considerable proportion of voters, the State Cabinet has given its approval to various proposals especially those which will especially affect those seeking official status of statehood agitationist, temporary, contract and ad-hoc basis workers in various government departments who are likely to be regularized with a committee headed by the state chief secretary being formed to address this issue. The price of both country made and Indian Made Foreign liquor will increase with an additional cess being levied on it. The difference in amount will go to the calamity relief fund, according to the decision approved by the cabinet. It was also decided in the meeting that the next Vidhan Sabha session at Gairsain will be held after November 15 with the exact date expected to be declared later in the coming days.
The cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Harish Rawat continued till late on Thursday night due to which the customary media briefing by the chief secretary could not be held as usual. The cabinet meeting went on till the wee hours with deliberations and decisions on about 36 points taken up in the meeting of Rawat’s cabinet members. According to information provided to the media on Friday, the cabinet had accorded its approval to various proposals ranging from alterations in the time limit in official procedure, deciding to merge the plan and non-plan heads of the budget into one to end the earlier system to announcing a minimum support price for the honey harvested in the plain areas of the mountainous State.
Officials informed that the cabinet has decided to further extend the cut-off date for facilitation of official identification as statehood activists to April 30, 2017. In another major decision, the cabinet also approved the extension of date in the proposal for regularisation of employees in various government departments working on contract, ad-hoc, daily wages, temporary, short-term and fix-wage basis. Earlier, the number of such employees under the ambit of regularisation was as per the cut off date being December 31, 2008 but now, this date has been extended to December 31, 2011 which is expected to benefit about 7,000 persons now likely to become eligible for regularisation of employment. The cabinet has also decided the formation of a committee headed by chief secretary Shatrughna Singh with the secretaries of personnel, justice and finance as its members to address the issue of regularisatin of employees contracted through Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam limited (UPNl) and other outsourcing agencies and submit its report. Further, in line with directions of the Union Government, the state cabinet has approved ending the plan and non-plan heading in budget with the two budgetary heads to be annulled by merger from the next financial year. Further, various decisions were also taken by the cabinet with the intention of encouraging or assisting farmers and cultivators of fruits, aromatic and medicinal plants and apiculture.
It also decided that the honey of bees in the plains will be provided a minimum support price. The honey from bees in the mountains is valued higher at about Rs 250-Rs 300 per kilogramme whereas the honey from bees in the plains is cheaper at about Rs 120 per kilogramme.
The cabinet also approved the proposal to discontinue the fee charged by the forest department per box from bee farmers and raising the price of bee box for bee farmers from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,000.