Uttarakhand hikes minimum wages;7 pc hike in DA for govt employees

He said the higher DA would be payable with retrospective effect from January this year. The higher DA for the month from January to June would be deposited in employees’ GPF while from July,it would be paid in cash along with the salary,he added.

Bahuguna said his government has also decided to make it compulsory for contractors to pay their workers through cheques only.

“It has been seen that contractors are paid by government or private companies through cheques but they pay their workers in cash only,” he said,adding,the government would bring an Ordinance for the purpose.

He said since the Ordinance would be brought to make an amendment in the Central Act,it would be sent to the President for the final approval.

The Chief Minister also announced to increase the minimum wages for workers and take them at par with the parent state of Uttar Pradesh.

He said the unskilled workers would now be paid at Rs 4,500 per month,half-skilled at Rs 5,100 per month and skilled workers at Rs 5,700 per month as they are being paid in Uttar Pradesh.

The government will soon issue a notification in this regard,he added.

He also criticised the previous BJP government for not revising their wages in 2010 as they are revised every five years.

“I consider them guilty for not revising the minimum wages for workers,” he said.

Bahuguna also announced doubling of the relief amount given to the victims of natural disasters by adding equal contribution from the state government to the central assistance.

He said the relief amount given to the family of deceased would now be Rs 3 lakh from the existing Rs 1.5 lakh.

Similarly,for disability,it would be Rs 1.5 lakh from the existing Rs 75,000 and for partial disability,it would be Rs 1 lakh from the existing Rs 50,000,he said.

As compensation for the damaged house,the state government would make a contribution of Rs 65,000 to the central relief amount of Rs 35,000 making it a respectable amount of Rs one lakh,the chief minister said.

Referring to the Vir Chandra Singh Garhwali self-employment scheme launched by the N D Tiwari-led Congress government,Bahguna said his government has now decided to expand the coverage area beyond tourism.

He said now the youth would get benefits under the scheme in nearly 20 more areas like eco-tourism,drinking water,yoga,garbage removal,toilets,motels,dhabas,amusement park,ropeways construction,training institutes,artificial climbing walls,converting heritage buildings into motels and organic restaurants.

In this regard,he said the youth would get the subsidy up to Rs 30 lakh for self-employment under the scheme.

The Chief Minister also said the state government would urge the centre to take the people like taxi-drivers,rickshaw pullers and Anganwadi workers under the ambit of National Health Insurance Scheme.

He said he would also meet the Prime Minister in this regard.

Bahuguna said the government is sanctioning additional funds for increasing the fire line for checking forest fires in the state.

“We have only 2,000 km long fire line against the requirement of 9,000 km. The previous government did not take necessary steps in the direction. But I am going to sanction the additional budget for the purpose,” he said.

He said the government is also going to sanction six proposals under UREDA (Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency) for producing power from dried pine leaves,which is a major cause of forest fire.