The Uttarakhand Cabinet cleared a proposal to give “equal pay for equal work” benefits in phases to personnel hired through Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited (UPNL). The decision aims to bring pay parity for contractual employees working in different government departments.
The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting headed by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. In the first phase, salary-related benefits will be given to UPNL personnel who have completed 10 years of continuous service with the state government.
The Cabinet examined the recommendations of the Ministerial Sub-Committee in its meeting held on December 8, 2025. This panel was formed after an order passed by the Uttarakhand High Court on November 12, 2018, in a Public Interest Litigation case.
Considering the financial condition of the state, the Cabinet decided to implement the policy in a phased manner. As part of this plan, only those UPNL-sponsored employees who have completed a decade of continuous service will receive the benefits in the first stage.
Earlier on Wednesday, CM Dhami issued strict instructions to ensure quick resolution of land-related disputes across Uttarakhand. He directed Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan and Director General of Police Deepam Seth to run a special drive in all districts to settle pending land disputes within one month.
The Chief Minister said that land disputes directly affect common people and often disturb law and order and social harmony. He added that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure such cases are resolved quickly, fairly, and transparently.
He instructed officials to give special attention to sensitive cases during the campaign. The Chief Minister also warned that any negligence or delay in handling such matters would not be tolerated.
According to an official release, the Chief Secretary will review the progress of the campaign every week. The purpose of these reviews will be to ensure that targets are achieved within the given time, and corrective steps are taken wherever necessary.
Chief Minister Dhami expressed confidence that the special campaign would help resolve land disputes at a faster pace. He said this would provide relief to the public and further strengthen people’s trust in the government and administration.
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