Uttarakhand Cabinet cuts VAT on natural, raises medical faculty age limit

Dehradun, Dec 24 (PTI) The Uttarakhand Cabinet on Wednesday approved a slew of decisions, including reducing value-added tax (VAT) on natural gas to five per cent and doubling the monthly old-age pension for writers and artists.

The Cabinet also raised the maximum age limit for the appointment of professors and associate professors in medical education to 62 years.

After the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Principal Secretary R Meenakshisundaram said the Cabinet has decided to reduce the current 20 per cent VAT on PNG and CNG to five per cent, to promote green and clean energy in the state.

He said it approved the proposal for the Horticulture and Food Processing Department to purchase 'Royal Delicious' apples from the disaster-affected Dharali and surrounding areas of Uttarkashi district at the rate of Rs 51 per kilogram.

Under the proposal, the department will also buy 'Red Delicious' and other varieties of apples at the rate of Rs 45 per kilogram, he added.

The Cabinet also gave a nod to increase the monthly pension of Rs 3,000 given to artists and writers in the state for their livelihood in old age to Rs 6,000.

Meenakshisundaram said for ease in business, the Cabinet approved the system of self-certification of building plans for low-risk buildings, such as single residential or small commercial buildings, by listed architects.

It further approved the Uttarakhand Medical Education Service (Amendment) Rules, 2025, under which the maximum age limit for the appointment of professors and associate professors has been increased from 50 years to 62 years.

Additionally, the Cabinet also decided to send the issue of 'equal pay for equal work' for 277 contractual employees at the Government Medical College in Srinagar, including daily wagers and fixed salaried ones, to the cabinet sub-committee.

The cabinet decided to provide a 50 per cent additional allowance to specialist doctors working in the state health services to encourage postings in hilly and remote areas. PTI DPT SMV OZ SMV OZ