Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Celebrates Diwali
On October 29, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami celebrated Diwali by worshipping Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha at the BJP state office in Dehradun. He was joined by State BJP President Mahendra Bhatt and State General Secretary Ajaey Kumar. Later, CM Dhami visited children in Gorakhpur (Doon) on Defence Colony Road, distributing gifts and extending Diwali greetings.
Announcement of Employee Benefits
Earlier in the day, CM Dhami announced an increase in dearness allowance (DA) and an ad hoc bonus for state government employees. The Chief Minister’s Office and the Uttarakhand government issued notifications about this decision. The DA hike will benefit regular full-time state government employees and officials affiliated with the University Grants Commission. A separate order will be issued for High Court judges and members of the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission.
The arrears for the DA increase, covering July 1, 2024, to September 30, 2024, will be paid in cash, with the revised allowance included in the regular salary starting October 1, 2024. Non-gazetted employees, those in aided educational institutions, local bodies, district panchayats, and daily wage workers will receive the ad hoc bonus. The maximum limit for a 30-day bonus is Rs 7,000, and employees in service for six months from March 31, 2024, will receive the bonus. Casual or daily wage workers who have worked at least 240 days each year for the last three years will be eligible for a bonus worth Rs 1,184.
Employees found guilty in departmental disciplinary action or criminal cases will not be eligible for the bonus. However, reinstated employees after suspension will be eligible.
Doubts Revealed
Uttarakhand -: Uttarakhand is a state in northern India, known for its beautiful mountains and pilgrimage sites.
CM -: CM stands for Chief Minister, who is the head of the government in an Indian state.
Pushkar Singh Dhami -: Pushkar Singh Dhami is the current Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, a leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Diwali -: Diwali is a major Hindu festival celebrated in India, known as the festival of lights, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party, a major political party in India.
Dearness Allowance -: Dearness Allowance (DA) is a cost of living adjustment allowance paid to government employees and pensioners in India.
Ad hoc bonus -: An ad hoc bonus is a one-time payment given to employees, often as a reward or incentive.
UGC officials -: UGC stands for University Grants Commission, which is a statutory body in India responsible for coordinating, determining, and maintaining standards of higher education.
High Court judges -: High Court judges are judges who work in the High Courts, which are the principal civil courts of original jurisdiction in each state and union territory in India.
Public Service Commission -: The Public Service Commission is a government agency responsible for hiring and managing the civil services in a state.
Non-gazetted employees -: Non-gazetted employees are government workers who do not hold a gazetted post, meaning their appointments are not published in the government gazette.
Daily wage workers -: Daily wage workers are employees who are paid on a daily basis for the work they do, rather than receiving a regular monthly salary.