Uttarakhand Cabinet okays 'equal pay for equal work' for UPNL staff

Uttarakhand Cabinet approves 'equal pay for equal work' for UPNL personnel in phases, initially for those with 10 years of service. CM Dhami also ordered a one-month drive to swiftly resolve all pending land-related disputes in the state.

Equal Pay for UPNL Personnel

The Uttarakhand Cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to extend the benefits of "equal pay for equal work" in a phased manner to personnel sponsored through the Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited (UPNL). The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. In the first phase, UPNL personnel who have completed 10 years of continuous service will be granted salary-related benefits.

The Cabinet considered the recommendations of the Ministerial Sub-Committee in its meeting held on December 8, 2025. The committee was constituted in compliance with the order passed by the Uttarakhand High Court on November 12, 2018, in Public Interest Litigation. In view of the State's financial condition, the Cabinet decided to implement the policy in a phased manner. Accordingly, salary-related benefits will initially be extended to UPNL-sponsored personnel who have completed a decade of continuous service.

Drive to Resolve Land Disputes

Earlier on Wednesday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also issued strict directives to ensure the swift and effective resolution of land-related disputes across the state. He instructed Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan and Director General of Police Deepam Seth to launch a comprehensive and intensive drive in all districts to resolve pending land dispute cases within one month.

The Chief Minister said, "Land disputes are directly linked to the problems of ordinary citizens and often have an adverse impact on law and order as well as social harmony; therefore, it is the government's priority to ensure their speedy, transparent, and fair resolution."

He directed officials to pay special attention to sensitive cases during the campaign and warned that any negligence would not be tolerated.

As per the Chief Minister's directions, the Chief Secretary will review the campaign's progress weekly to ensure targets are met within the stipulated timeframe. Corrective measures will be implemented as needed, according to an official release.

Dhami expressed confidence that the special campaign would ensure speedy resolution of land disputes, provide relief to the general public and further strengthen public trust in the government and administration. (ANI)

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