Uttarakhand govt forms panels to tackle court-ordered staff regularisation, wages & ex-servicemen jobs

Dehradun, Nov 12 (IANS) In a swift response to judicial directives, the Uttarakhand Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, on Wednesday constituted two high-level committees to address long-pending issues of contractual employees and ex-servicemen welfare while approving key amendments to the Uttarakhand Purvanchal Nigam Limited (UPNL).

Acting on the Hon'ble High Court of Uttarakhand’s order, the Cabinet formed a dedicated “Cabinet Committee” to oversee the regularisation of daily wage, acting charge, contract, fixed pay, part-time, and ad-hoc personnel across state departments.

The panel will also determine future cut-off dates for eligibility, ensuring a transparent and time-bound process. This move aims to resolve thousands of pending cases and bring stability to the workforce.

Simultaneously, the Cabinet deliberated on providing “minimum wages and dearness allowance” to UPNL-deployed personnel as mandated by the court.

A Cabinet Sub-Committee was constituted to engage all stakeholders—including employee unions, finance, and law departments—and finalise recommendations within two months.

The panel will examine financial implications, service conditions, and legal compliance before a final decision. In another significant decision, the Cabinet approved amendments to UPNL’s“Memorandum of Association (MoA) and Articles of Association (AoA).

The changes will enable the corporation to launch overseas employment schemes for ex-servicemen, their dependents, and unemployed youth, besides addressing income tax compliance gaps.

The updated framework will position UPNL as a global job facilitator, leveraging AI-driven skill mapping and international partnerships.

CM Dhami emphasised, “These decisions reflect our commitment to justice, dignity of labour, and empowerment of our ex-servicemen and youth.”

The use of AI tools for data analytics will help the committees process claims efficiently and prevent delays.

With court deadlines looming, the twin committees are expected to submit reports by early 2026, paving the way for policy rollout.

Officials confirm digital dashboards will track progress in real-time. The decisions signal proactive governance, balancing judicial compliance with administrative reform in the hill state.

--IANS

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