Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 9 Jul: The Uttarakhand Cabinet approved several transformative measures including the expansion of the Vigilance Department, the adoption of the Uttarakhand Geothermal Energy Policy 2025, and significant reforms pertaining to widow and old-age pensions during it meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
The Cabinet sanctioned the creation of 20 new posts in the Vigilance Department, thereby increasing its sanctioned strength from 132 to 152, aimed at strengthening its operational capacity.
The approval of the Uttarakhand Geothermal Energy Policy 2025 marks a strategic push towards sustainable energy development. The policy seeks to promote scientific research and exploration of geothermal resources that are both economically feasible and ecologically viable. It supports the utilisation of geothermal energy in power generation, temperature regulation systems, water purification, and community development, while contributing to long-term goals related to carbon reduction and energy security. The Energy Department, in collaboration with UREDA and UJVNL, will be responsible for its implementation across all geothermal initiatives in the state.
To strengthen technological enforcement mechanisms, the Cabinet authorised the establishment of a Digital Forensic Laboratory within the State Tax Department. This facility is designed to augment tax law enforcement by collecting, retrieving, and analysing digital evidence. It will support not only the State Tax Department but also other enforcement bodies such as CGST and the Income Tax Department.
In a significant decision, a socially impactful resolution was also passed in the meeting according to which widow and old-age pensions will now continue uninterrupted, even after the beneficiaries’ children reach adulthood at 18 years. This move reinforces the state’s commitment to welfare and provides critical support to vulnerable sections of society.
In an important infrastructure related move, approval was granted for the establishment of a Project Management Unit (PMU) under the Public Works Department (PWD) to study and enhance the bearing capacity of bridges across the state. The Cabinet also consented to the listing of seven companies, empanelled by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, for the procurement of IT-related services and materials within Uttarakhand.
In addition, the Cabinet also approved the Uttarakhand State Mineral Exploration Trust Rules, 2025, facilitating the establishment of a statutory trust to promote mineral exploration, particularly of minor minerals, in line with directives issued by the Ministry of Mines. This follows a decision taken at the sixth meeting of the Governing Body of the National Mineral Exploration Trust, which proposed grants to states amounting to 10 per cent of their annual collections in the Mineral Exploration Trusts for the current and upcoming financial years. In a related development, the Cabinet also promulgated the Uttarakhand District Mineral Foundation Trust Rules, 2025, revising and expanding upon the 2017 regulations as last amended in 2023.
The Cabinet further accorded a nod to the restructuring of the Uttarakhand Finance Service Cadre. This entails the reallocation of posts across varied pay grades and statuses, tailored to the department’s functional needs, without altering the overall number of sanctioned posts.
