Big decisions of Uttarakhand Cabinet: VAT reduced on CNG-PNG, pension of artists doubled, additional allowance to doctors in remote areas!

Dehradun. The Uttarakhand Cabinet has taken many important decisions, which will directly benefit the common people, industries, artists, farmers and people associated with health services. These decisions are big steps towards environmental protection, cultural heritage and ease of doing business. Let us know the complete details of these decisions.

Big cut in VAT on natural gas

The Cabinet has taken a big decision to promote green and clean energy in the state. Now the VAT rate on PNG and CNG has been reduced from 20 percent to just 5 percent.

This will give priority to pollution-free industries and make it easier to set up clean units under various industrial schemes. Tax relief will benefit industries and investment is expected to increase in the state.

Apple purchase approved in disaster affected areas

The Cabinet has approved the Chief Minister’s announcement to help the farmers in Dharali and surrounding disaster affected areas of Uttarkashi.

The Department of Horticulture and Food Processing will now purchase Royal Delicious apples at Rs 51 per kg and Red Delicious and other apples at Rs 45 per kg (except Grade-C apples). Its amount will be given from the announcement item. This will provide great relief to the affected farmers.

Double the pension of old artists and writers

Good news for the artists and writers who save the cultural traditions, folk arts, songs, dance, musical instruments and literature of the state.

There has been a major change in the monthly pension scheme started in 2010. Earlier, the amount was Rs 3000, but in view of inflation, the cabinet increased it to Rs 6000 per month. For this, Uttarakhand Monthly Pension to Aged and Destitute Artists and Writers (Amendment) Rules, 2025 was approved. This will provide financial support to elderly artists in their old age.

The process of passing the building map is easy

The Cabinet approved the changes in building map approval under Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) of the Government of India.

Now empaneled architects will be able to self-certify the plans of low-risk buildings like single residential houses or small commercial buildings. The builder can get self-certification done by submitting all the documents and fees along with SC-1, SC-2 forms. This will make business and construction easier.

Amendment in Industrial Development Control

Cabinet approved Uttarakhand General Industrial Development Control (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 to reduce compliance burden and increase ease of doing business.

In this, the ground coverage of MSME and other industry units has been increased. Necessary changes have been made in the rules of industrial plots, which will benefit the industries.

Structure of Bamboo and Fiber Development Council changed

The projects of Uttarakhand Bamboo and Fiber Development Council are time bound and require experts in changing situations.

There are already 13 permanent posts in the council, but now approval has been given to fill them through outsource or open market. The revised structure will make work more efficient.

Pension benefits to work charge workers of Irrigation and PWD

The service period of work-charge employees of Irrigation and Public Works Department will now be included in the pension calculation. The cabinet has taken a decision on this.

New mode in Ayushman scheme

Ayushman and Atal Ayushman Yojana in the state will now be run in 100% insurance mode, while the Golden Card in hybrid mode.

In hybrid, claims less than Rs 5 lakh will be through insurance and claims above will be through trust mode. The state government will bear the dues of about Rs 125 crore of Golden Card. With this, patients will get better treatment.

Changes in medical education rules

Uttarakhand Medical Education Service (Amendment) Rules, 2025 approved.

The appointment age of Professor and Associate Professor was increased from 50 to 62 years. New departments were created for super specialty services. 4 new posts were created for Swami Ram Cancer Institute, Haldwani.

The matter of medical college employees to sub-committee

The Cabinet sent the matter of giving equal pay for equal work to 277 employees working on contract, daily wages etc. in Srinagar Government Medical College to the Cabinet Sub-Committee.

50% additional allowance to specialist doctors in remote areas

Specialist doctors will get 50% additional allowance (50% of the minimum pay scale) for providing services and stay in hospitals in hilly, remote and extremely remote areas.

This allowance will be available only to specialists doing clinical work and will not be included in pension. The earlier 20% allowance will be lost. Doctors transferred to plain areas will not get this.

Apart from this, Principal Secretary R. Meenakshi Sundaram said that on the instructions of the Chief Minister, the Nazul land of the Press Club in Parade Ground, Dehradun will be transferred to the Information Department. This will remove problems in passing the map and the Information Department will build a new building for the Press Club.