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A cabinet meeting was held today, Thursday, January 15, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Nineteen proposals from various departments were presented at the meeting. The proposal to amend the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was also approved. The Uttarakhand Tourism Rules were also approved. A major decision was also taken regarding equal pay for UPNL employees.

These decisions were made

• Government guarantee of ₹270 crore approved for the crushing season 2025-26. Sugar mills will now be able to take loans.
• Sugarcane prices for sugar mills approved.
• Service rules for the Election Department approved.
• The Uttarakhand Sanskrit Academy will be renamed Uttarakhand Sanskrit Sansthanam.
• 6 posts each were sanctioned for the Science Centers in Almora and Champawat under UCOST.
• The Energy Department’s report for 2024-25 will be presented in the assembly.
• Approval given to present the Forest Corporation’s report in the assembly.
• Under the Horticulture Mission, in addition to the 50% contribution from the Government of India for anti-hail nets, an additional 25% will now be provided by the state.
• 6 posts (4 academic, 2 others) were sanctioned under the Hindu Studies Center at Doon University.
• For UPNL employees: Instead of 12 years, those who have completed 10 years of service will now receive equal pay for equal work. This will benefit 7000 to 8000 employees. The remaining employees from before 2018 will also receive separate benefits. In the future, only rehabilitation work for ex-servicemen will be carried out through UPNL.
• Special courts will be established under NDPS and POCSO Acts, as per the Satendra Kumar vs. CBI case. 16 courts will be established, with 144 posts sanctioned. There will be 7 ADJ and 9 ACJM level courts in Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar.
• The Chief Minister was authorized to take decisions regarding the winter session of the Uttarakhand Assembly.
• Mining Department: The order for mining in Nandhaur and other rivers has been amended.
• For various sports competitions, a champion trophy and one lakh rupees will be awarded at the MLA level, a championship trophy and two lakh rupees at the MP level, and five lakh rupees and a trophy at the state level.
• Bridcul will also construct ropeways, tunnels, and cavity parking, as well as automated or mechanical parking.
• Under Section 330 of the BNS, an expert is not required if both parties agree. The rules for creating a format for this have been approved.
• Amendments to the UCC have been approved. An ordinance will be issued. Those married before January 2025 will have one year instead of six months to register their marriage. The Registrar General will now be an officer of the Additional Secretary level. The term “fine” has been replaced with “penalty” for failure to complete work on time.
• The Uttarakhand Tourism rules have been approved; the benefits of the homestay scheme will be available only to locals. Permanent residency will now be required. People from other states will only be able to offer bed and breakfast accommodations. They will not receive any benefits similar to the homestay scheme.
• A pilot project will be established in Kedarnath Dham. Biomass pellets will be made from cow dung and pine needles. This will be undertaken by the Tourism Department.