U’khand to encourage ex-servicemen & retired Agniveers for setting up MSMEs

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun

 In a measure aimed at providing self-employment opportunities to the ex-servicemen and retired Agniveers, the State government has decided to provide 10 per cent reservation to them in the Mukhyamantri Swarojgar Yojana (MSY) targets. A decision in this regard was taken in the meeting of the State cabinet held at the secretariat on Wednesday. Informing about the cabinet decisions, the Secretary Shailesh Bagauli said that the cabinet approved the Veer Udhyami Yojana for ex-servicemen and Agniveers to encourage them to set to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the State. Under the scheme reservation to ex-servicemen will be provided under MSY. He said that five per cent additional subsidy will also be given to the ex-servicemen and Agniveers under the scheme. A subsidy of 30 per cent in the projects up to Rs two lakh, 25 per cent in projects of Rs two to 10 lakhs and 30 per cent will be given for setting up MSME units in mountainous areas.

The cabinet also endorsed the proposal of the Food and Civil Supplies department for purchasing the wheat at minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,585 per quintal for the Rabi period 2026-27. The department has taken a target of procuring 2.2 lakh tonnes of wheat from the farmers. It also decided that a Mandi Tax of two percent as decided by the government of India will be levied by the Mandis of the State on wheat and paddy.    

In another important decision, the cabinet gave its consent to the regulations for Uttarakhand Public and Private property Damage Recovery Act 2025 popularly known as Anti-Riot act. The regulations have been prepared by the Home department after holding consultations with the departments of Finance, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. 

The proposal of the department of Justice to provide soft loans to the judicial officers at nominal interest rates was also approved by the cabinet on the day. These officers will now get a loan up to Rs 10 lakh at interest rate of four per cent on purchase of electric vehicle and five per cent on purchase of other vehicles.

 The cabinet also approved the proposal of Power department to provide benefit of State subsidy to the consumers who had set up their roof top solar plants before March 31, 2025 under Pradhanmantri Surya Ghar Yojana.