Uttarakhand approves rehab policy, lowers VAT on packed namkeen

Uttarakhand government today gave its approval to rehabilitation policy, extended concessions to IT companies, lowered VAT on packed 'namkeen' and chemical-based henna besides deciding not to levy tax on sugar. Under the rehabilitation policy, passed by the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, the government would shift the family elsewhere if its house is declared unsafe for living by the competent authority in view of natural disasters, Chief Secretary Subash Kumar told reporters here. He said the family would be provided a land of 250 square meter and a cash of Rs 3 lakh for construction of house besides Rs 10,000 as disturbance allowance and Rs 15,000 for cow-shed. Moreover, the family will be given a one-time reclamation amount of Rs 15,000 if it barren land, he said. In case an artisan's family is rehabilitated, Kumar said, an additional amount of Rs 25,000 would be paid to it by the government. Stating that a total of 233 villages have been identified till last year for rehabilitation, the Chief Secretary said the government would try to exchange land from forests for shifting of an entire village. Once any family or the entire village is shifted elsewhere, their property or land will become property of the state government which will be free to use it for any purpose, he added.