Garhwal Post Bureadu
Dehradun, 21 Nov: The Uttarakhand government has announced substantial enhancement in the uniform allowance and uniform washing allowance for field personnel of the State Forest Department. In this regard, formal orders have been issued by the government and this fulfils a long-pending demand of the staff ahead of the New Year. In a significant relief for field employees of the forest department, the Secretariat has approved a marked increase in both allowances, a move that will directly benefit Forest Rangers, Deputy Forest Rangers and other frontline staff who operate round the clock in challenging forest conditions. The decision has been widely viewed as a major morale booster for personnel engaged in sensitive field duties.
As per the order, the Forest Rangers and Deputy Forest Rangers, who earlier received a uniform allowance of Rs 1,500 once in three years, will now receive Rs 3,000, effectively doubling the amount. The enhancement had been long overdue in view of increasing field responsibilities, rising operational challenges and the need to maintain uniform standards. The government has also revised the uniform washing allowance, increasing it more than sixfold for these categories. They will now receive Rs 300 per month, compared to the earlier Rs 45. Field-level staff, including Forest Darogas, Forest Guards (Van Rakshis) and Jamadars, will also receive an increased washing allowance of Rs 200 per month, up from the earlier Rs 30. However, there has been no revision in the uniform allowance for Forest Darogas and Forest Guards, and the previous entitlement for these categories remains unchanged.
Despite this, the enhanced washing allowance has been welcomed as a significant relief for lower-tier personnel. Field staff of the Forest Department had been demanding a revision of these allowances for a considerable period, and the government’s decision to approve and issue the order has drawn appreciation from employees across the department. The announcement is being regarded as welcome news for forest personnel as the year draws to a close.
