Government to give pension, reservation to statehood agitationists

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand government has announced that it will give pension to statehood agitationists aged over 60 years and will grant 10 per cent reservation in government jobs to agitationists below 60 years of age.

The decision, to enact a law in the state Assembly, was taken by the state Cabinet at a meeting here chaired by Chief Minister Harish Rawat, an official release yesterday here said.

Photographs of martyred statehood agitationists, who fought for a separate Uttarakhand, will up for display at the Vidhan Bhawan this session beginning later this month, the release added.

Their villages will also be developed as 'ideal villages' and the educational institutes in the state will be named after them, it said.

The Cabinet has made a provision of Rs 10 crore for the welfare fund for agitationists named Rajya Andolankari Kalyan Kosh, the release added.

The committees to identify statehood agitationists, headed by District Magistrates, were also decided to be dissolved, and replaced with new government appointed panels which will look into deserving cases left out of the list, the release stated.

Welcoming the announcement foot the welfare of those who fought for statehood of Uttarakhand, Rajya Andolankari Kalyan Parishad president Dhirendra Pratap thanked Chief Minister Harish Rawat.

Pratap said that he had done a great service to agitationists by fulfilling their long pending demands.

The Cabinet also decided to reduce the security money taken from investors in higher education sector from Rs 10 crore to five crore. Women who become mothers through surrogacy will also get maternity leave, the release said.