Golden card scheme to be operated in hybrid while Ayushman scheme in insurance mode PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun In a major decision aimed to promote use of green and clean energy, the Uttarakhand government has decided to slash the tax rate on piped natural gas (PNG) and compressed natural gas (PNG) by 15 per cent. A decision in this regard was taken in the meeting of the State cabinet held on Wednesday. Principal Secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram said that the existing tax rate on PNG and CNG in the State is 20 per cent which has been reduced to five per cent. The decision will help in reducing the price of CNG and PNG in the State. In another important decision, the State cabinet approved the proposal to operate the Ayushman and Atal Ayushman Yojna in insurance mode and the Golden card scheme of the State government employees in the hybrid mode. Health secretary, R Rajesh Kumar said that in the Golden card scheme, the claim upto Rs five lakh will be settled in the insurance mode while those above Rs five lakh will be settled in the trust mode. Kumar added that the State government has decided to bear the pending claims of about Rs 125 crore of the hospital. It is likely that the premium deducted from the salary of the employees will increase under the hybrid mode. The cabinet also approved the Uttarakhand Medical Education Service (amendment) regulation- 2025 under which the minimum age for appointment as professor and associate professor has been increased from 50 years to 62 years. Kumar said that departments of super speciality services will be made in the medical colleges as per the provisions of National Medical Council. The department has created four new posts for the Swami Ram Cancer institute Haldwani. Kumar informed that the cabinet decided to hand over the issue of demand of similar work for similar pay of the 277 employees appointed on contract, fixed salary and daily wages in the Government Medical Srinagar to a cabinet subcommittee for further discussion. The cabinet also approved the proposal to grant an additional allowance of 50 per cent of basic salary to the specialist doctors of the PMHS cadre posted in the hospitals located in the mountainous Durgam and Ati Durgam areas. The cabinet headed by chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also approved the proposal of the Horticulture department under which the royal red delicious apple of disaster affected Dharali ( Uttarkashi) and nearby areas will be procured at Rs 51 per kilogramme while that of red delicious and other apples ( Other than grade C) will be procured at Rs 41 per kilogramme. In another decision the cabinet endorsed the proposal of the Culture department to increase the pension of the artists and authors from existing Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 per month. The PS Sundaram informed that the cabinet approved the proposal to hand over the land of Press club located at Parade Ground to the department of Information. This will pave the way for construction of a new building of the Press Club.
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