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Uttarakhand Unveils Welfare Package for Women and Cyber Safety

Source:livemint ↗

Why It Matters

This article details Uttarakhand-specific social welfare schemes, budget allocations, reservation policies (like Agniveer reservation), and cybersecurity measures, which are highly relevant for state-specific sections of UKPSC PCS Prelims and Mains Paper on Governance and Economy.

Summary

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami unveiled a multi-pronged welfare and development package during the 'Mukhyamantri Sashakt Behna Utsav-2026' in Champawat. The package spans major infrastructure projects for women, a statewide cyber-awareness drive for students, and historic soldier-welfare updates including becoming the first state to create a dedicated Employment Cell and 10% reservation for Agniveers.

Key Points

  • Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced ₹62.97 crore worth of development projects at the 'Mukhyamantri Sashakt Behna Utsav-2026' in Champawat, which includes 20 completed schemes and the foundation stones for 30 new projects covering roads, drinking water, and tourism.
  • Champawat is hosting a series of women-centric infrastructure projects including a ₹256.97 crore women's sports college, an integrated nursing institute, an ITI laboratory, and a women's technology park.
  • Uttarakhand Police launched a massive virtual cyber-awareness drive reaching 1.75 lakh students across 1,100 government schools, led by DGP Deepam Seth, encouraging the use of the 1930 helpline and cybercrime.gov.in.
  • Uttarakhand has become the first state to establish a dedicated Employment Cell for Agniveers, alongside providing them a 10% horizontal reservation in state government services.
  • The state government has enhanced ex-gratia assistance for Param Vir Chakra awardees' families from ₹1.5 crore to ₹2 crore and for other martyrs' dependents from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh.
  • Welfare measures for soldiers include a 25% stamp-duty concession on property purchases up to ₹25 lakh and extending the martyr-dependent government job application window from 2 to 5 years.

Prelims Trap

Uttarakhand provides 10% vertical reservation to all returning Agniveers across all Group 'A', 'B', and 'C' state government vacancies.

The reservation is horizontal (not vertical) and restricted to Group 'C' uniformed services, not all state services. Candidates often miss this distinction.

Static Concepts Connected

Indian Polity and Constitution

What is the legal difference between Vertical and Horizontal Reservations in India?

  • Vertical Reservation: Applies to social groups like SC, ST, OBC, and EWS under Article 16(4). They are distinct and mutually exclusive categories.
  • Horizontal Reservation: Applies across vertical categories for special groups (women, veterans, PwD) under Article 15(3) or 16(1). Candidates occupy slots in their respective social categories.
  • Judicial Precedent: Laid down by the Supreme Court in the Rajesh Kumar Daria case, clarifying that horizontal quotas cut laterally across vertical quotas.
Uttarakhand Geography and Culture

What is Uttarakhand's 'Sainya Dham' project and its cultural significance?

  • Fifth Dham Concept: Dehradun (Guniyal Gaon) is being developed as the 'Fifth Dham' of Uttarakhand to honor the state's military martyrs.
  • Sacred Soil Collection: Constructed using sacred soil brought from the courtyards of the homes of all state martyrs across all 13 districts.
  • Key Features: A memorial wall bearing names of all state martyrs, a museum of military relics, and a replica of the Amar Jawan Jyoti.

Cross-Topic Patterns

  • Demobilization + State Security Forces

    Integrating trained Agniveers into state police via horizontal quotas addresses dual goals: rehabilitating demobilized military personnel and strengthening state-level internal security apparatus with pre-trained youth.

  • SHG Empowerment + Border Security

    Empowering women's SHGs in border districts like Champawat serves a geo-strategic purpose, preventing migration from sensitive frontier zones and stabilizing border demographics.

State GS papers will likely test the specific 10% horizontal quota criteria and physical test exemptions for Agniveers in Group 'C' posts.

Linked PYQs · 2

Linked PYQs · 2

  • 2025UKPSC_PRELIMSGS1

    Arrange the following social welfare schemes in chronological order: i. Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) ii. Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP) iii. Prime Minister Rojgar Yojana (PMRY) iv. Rural Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP)

  • 2024UKPSC_PRELIMSGS1

    How many of the following women M.L.A.s were there in the first Legislative Assembly of Uttarakhand ?