6 key proposals approved by Dhami Cabinet
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 23 Sep: A cabinet meeting was held at the Secretariat here today, chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami, during which six important proposals were approved. The most significant among them is the much-awaited ‘Mahak Kranti’ (Fragrance Revolution) policy for Uttarakhand.
Additional Secretary and Director General, Information, Banshidhar Tiwari briefed the media following the meeting.
The most significant decision in today’s cabinet meeting pertains to the approval of the Mahak Kranti policy. It may be noted here that discussions on the policy had been underway for a considerable period, primarily owing to the continuous research being carried out by the Centre for Aromatic Plants (CAP) in Selaqui, Dehradun, which has been at the forefront of developing aromatic products. The centre had recently prepared a perfume from Timur or Timru (Zanthoxylum armatum) commonly known in English as Nepalese pepper, which had drawn appreciation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Encouraged by this, the state government has resolved to promote the production and utilisation of aromatic crops in Uttarakhand by formulating the ‘Mahak Kranti’ policy to establish a robust sector of aromatic cultivation.
The government has claimed that in its first phase, the policy will contribute to the fulfilment of the ‘Sashakt Uttarakhand’ resolution for a ten-year period from 2026 to 2036. It provides for substantial subsidies to promote aromatic farming and aims at creating a complete ecosystem for aromatic crops. The government intends to establish Uttarakhand as a recognised brand for aromatic products at both national and international levels. The target for the first phase is the cultivation of aromatic crops on 22,750 hectares of land, thereby benefiting 91,000 farmers. The policy also provides for an 80 per cent subsidy for farmers cultivating aromatic crops on at least one hectare of land and a 50 per cent subsidy for those with more than one hectare.
In addition, the Cabinet also cleared amendments in the structure of the Uttarakhand Prisons. Significantly, the cabinet also approved a proposal announced earlier by the government to bear the additional cost of Rs 27.85 crores incurred in the construction of 1,872 EWD (Houses for Economically Weaker Sections) under the PM Awas Yojana in Rudrapur, where the actual expenditure exceeded the sanctioned amount.
Tiwari also shared that under the Administration and Reforms Service Department, the Cabinet approved the creation of 24 posts for subordinate craftsmen and 3 posts for the correctional wing.
In the education sector, the Cabinet granted approval for the creation of 8 new posts to manage the five educational TV channels being broadcast under the PM e-Vidya programme by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Uttarakhand. In this regard, an MoU has been signed between the Central Institute of Education Technology (CIET), NCERT and SCERT Uttarakhand for this purpose. Further, approval was given to the Uttarakhand State Elementary Education (Teacher) (Amendment) Service Rules 2012.
In a socially significant decision, the cabinet approved a proposal to enhance the incentive amount for marrying a person with disability. The incentive has now been increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 by the Social Welfare Department.
