On Independence Day, Gujarat CM announces 3 pc DA hike for govt employees

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday announced a three per cent hike in the dearness allowance for government employees and expansion of welfare schemes under the National Food Security Act NFSASpeaking after hoisting the national flag at Modasa in Aravalli district during a statelevel function to mark the countrys 76th Independence Day Patel appealed to people to awaken the spirit of national interest in their hearts above everythingHe announced a three per cent increase in the DA for Gujarat government employees under the 7th Pay Commission with retrospective effect from January 1 2022Some 938 lakh employees of the state government panchayat service and pensioners will get the benefit he saidWith this the state governments financial burden will go up by about Rs 1400 crore annually he saidPatel also announced the expansion of the onekg gram pulses per card per family scheme for the NFSA card holders and widening the income limit eligibility criteria for inclusion of beneficiaries under the ActHe said 71 lakh NFSA card holders from all 250 talukas of the state will be given one kg gram pulses per card per month at a concessional rate At present only the people from 50 developing talukas are getting benefit of the schemeThe existing eligibility criteria of income limit per month for inclusion under the NFSA has been increased to Rs 15000 from Rs 10000 he saidIt is our responsibility to keep reaching new heights of safety and peace in a peaceful developing and safe Gujarat and establish new records of allinclusive development Let us take a pledge to make this festival of Independence as the opportunity to make national interest as paramount in our hearts and minds he saidPatel further said electric buses will be put into operation on iconic routes like Dwarka Ambaji and Statue of Unity and Rs 367 crore will be invested to run 1200 new BS6 compliant buses for providing better services to citizensAlso ATMs will be installed at 50 bus stations of the state for the convenience of citizens he saidThe CM said a Real Time Coastal Water Monitoring System will be used for water quality testing of the estuaries of rivers flowing into the Gulf of Khambhat under the Encore Project with the assistance of World BankHe further said that Rs three crore has been allocated for a new modern 50bed district level hospital with a trauma centre facility in EktanagarKevadia Colony near the Statue of Unity in Narmada districtThe state government has cared about all sections of society including the poor deprived and weakWe have developed a work culture where people feel least troubled and their issues are resolved at the earliest Patel saidAlong with education health and security the government has also focused on agriculture rural development uplift of the poor and industrial development he saidWhether it is the industry rural development farming ease of revenue related services the Gujarat government has always taken citizenoriented decisions to establish the state remains as a leader on the world map he saidPatel said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a special place in his heart for the poor deprived and weaker sections of societyWhen we rewind and see the success story of the last 20 years we notice that PM Modi has created a high benchmark of hard work to make Gujarat a leader in development he saidIt is the responsibility of everyone to keep achieving new levels of safety and security and establish the new record of allinclusive development he saidWhile the COVID19 pandemic affected progress of the entire world Gujarat won over the crisis under PM Modis leadership he saidGujarat has given the definition of a balanced development of health agriculture and industry to the country and the world Cowbased natural farming has been given a special focus Dang has been declared a 100 per cent natural farmbased district the CM saidOn PM Modis call for the creation of 75 Amrit Sarovars in each district as part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav the state has so far created 673 such lakes he saidRevolutionary steps have been taken to ensure farmers get enough electricity along with water All four power distribution companies have got the A grade for power distribution Gujarat is leading in renewable energy It is the first state to have a Solar Energy Policy the CM saidPatel also talked about various social welfare schemes and the governments industry friendly policy availability of power and labour which according to the CM make Gujarat the best stateHe said PM Modi made Gujarat a policydriven state and several developmentoriented policies were formulated with focus on semiconductors biotechnology IT drone heritage tourism and electric vehiclesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without 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