Uttarakhand Politics & Governance

High Court directs gratuity for eligible retired Pantnagar teachers

1 September 2026

The Uttarakhand High Court set aside a 2022 state government order and a Pantnagar university letter that had denied gratuity to teachers who retired before 18 June 2005. It directed the state and the university to pay eligible members of the Pantnagar University Retired Teachers Welfare Committee gratuity with 6% annual interest.

Key Facts

• The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 protects eligible employees’ gratuity rights; retirement at age 60 alone cannot justify denial without an exemption.

High Court seeks progress report on Uttarakhand Lokayukta appointment

2 September 2026

The Uttarakhand government told the High Court that the process to appoint a Lokayukta and its members was underway and sought four weeks to submit a panel to the search committee. The court granted the time and directed the government to provide a progress report by the next hearing.

Key Facts

• A Lokayukta is presented as an institution for action against corruption; Uttarakhand’s appointment process remained underway.

High Court seeks affidavit on Forest Rights Act implementation

3 September 2026

The Uttarakhand High Court directed the state government to file an affidavit within two weeks on implementation of the Forest Rights Act. It asked which villages and hamlets had been identified under Rule 2A and what steps had been taken to form village-level committees to examine claims.

The court also sought details on the grounds for rejecting claims and the legality of the inquiry committees. The matter was brought before it by the State Legal Services Authority.

Key Facts

• Under the Forest Rights Act, village assemblies initiate claims by recommending which forest rights and resources should be recognized.

Uttarakhand transfers ₹147.05 crore in August social-security pensions

4 September 2026

Uttarakhand transferred ₹147.05 crore in August 2026 social-security pension payments to 991,914 beneficiaries through a one-click process. The state approved 5,605 new pensions during the month across schemes for older people, widows, persons with disabilities, farmers and other eligible groups.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed officials to arrange account-based payments for eligible beneficiaries who could not obtain Aadhaar.

Nainital schools refund excess fees after district inquiry

4 September 2026

A joint district administration and education department inquiry found rule-breaking fee collection at 87 private schools in Nainital district. After officials directed schools to refund or adjust excess charges, 46 schools returned more than ₹39 lakh to parents.

The inquiry also led eight schools to reduce tuition fees, 39 to cut examination charges and 15 to lower or waive registration fees. Authorities could recommend withdrawal of recognition for schools that continued to violate rules.

Key Facts

• Private schools may raise fees by at most 10% over three years, subject to Parent-Teacher Association approval.

₹49-crore stabilisation project begins at Sirobagad landslide zone

5 September 2026

A ₹49-crore project to stabilise the Sirobagad landslide zone on the Rishikesh–Badrinath National Highway was launched near Rudraprayag. The work aims to reduce rockfall and debris that disrupt traffic, particularly during the monsoon and the Char Dham pilgrimage season.

Planned measures include removing loose rock, installing cable nets and building protective structures to limit erosion from rainwater. The project has an 18-month completion target.

Key Facts

• The stabilisation plan reduces slope instability by removing loose rock and using cable nets to restrain remaining rock.

Uttarakhand directs government hospitals to seek NABH accreditation

7 September 2026

Uttarakhand directed all district hospitals and other government hospitals to apply for accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH). Health Minister Subodh Uniyal said hospital officials would be responsible for obtaining accreditation and maintaining it.

The direction initiates the accreditation process; it does not mean that all hospitals have received accreditation.

Key Facts

• NABH, a constituent board of the Quality Council of India, establishes and operates healthcare accreditation programmes.

Uttarakhand launches free online coaching scheme for students

8 September 2026

Uttarakhand launched the Mukhyamantri Yuva Bhavishya Nirman Yojana to provide free online coaching for competitive examinations to eligible students at state universities and government or government-aided colleges. The first phase aims to cover 11,000 students, selected through an online screening examination based on performance and eligibility.

The scheme includes online classes, recorded lectures, digital ...