Uttarakhand

• 25 Jul 2023

Govt. Services will Become Costlier by 5 % Every Year in the State: Order Issued to Increase User Charges

Why in News?

According to information received from the media on July 22, 2023, the user charges being collected in lieu of government services being provided in Uttarakhand will now become five percent costlier on April 1 every year. Finance Secretary Dilip Jawalkar has issued an order in this regard.

Key Points:

• It is known that user fee means any such fee, which is being collected through various departments or agencies.
• It has been said in the order that due to regular small increases in fees, people will not be burdened one time and funds will also be received for repair and maintenance of public services. Till now there was a tendency to collect user fees at the level of departments at intervals of three to five years, which appeared to be a lump sum.
• All the departments will have to compulsorily provide the facility of UPI to collect user charges through their respective web portal app. The order states that it is necessary to link the user fee rates to the prevailing market inflation.
• Only the state cabinet will have the right to reduce the rate of increase in user charge below five percent. He can reduce the revised rates on reasonable offers.
• According to the order, if it is justified and practical to increase the user charges of any service by more than five percent, then the departments will be able to do so. The revised rates will be applicable in such a way as to cover the cost of operation and upgradation of the unit.
• It is worth noting that in hospitals, the user charge is collected in lieu of many other departmental services including slip fee, disease test fee, driving license and its renewal, RC, transfer of vehicles, income certificate, permanent residence certificate, copy of account-khatauni, copy of the registry, drinking water bill, which will increase by five percent on April 1.
• According to sources in the finance department, property tax will also increase by five per cent on April 1 of every financial year. The Finance Department will issue a separate order for this.

State's 1st Plant to be set up in Rudrapur

Why in News?

On July 24, 2023, according to the information received from the media, the Rudrapur Green Energy Company, which set up the state's first Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant, will also set up a plant to make drinking water from atmospheric vapour and steam in Rudrapur. The officials of the company have discussed with the mayor and municipal commissioner of Rudrapur Municipal Corporation setting up the plant.

Key Points:

• According to the information, after making CNG from waste and electricity from CNG, now Rudrapur Green Energy Company is going to take the initiative to make drinking water from air. For this, the company has entered into an agreement with Arrow Water Private Limited.
• Sameer Rege, director of Rudrapur Green Energy Company and project in-charge Vikas Kumar said that in the era of modern technology, a plant to make drinking water from Vapour, steam and moisture has started being set up. By using this technology, there will never be any shortage of water in life.
• He informed that Rudrapur Municipal Corporation has been contacted regarding the plant to be set up at a cost of crores of rupees. However, now Mayor Rampal and Municipal Commissioner Vishal Mishra are discussing with the higher officials to set up the plant.
• A project has also been made on behalf of the company to clean and renovate the Kalyani river of Rudrapur. By setting up treatment plants at various places near the Kalyani river, it can be cleaned.
• Officials said that the company has also made a project to launch liquid manure community tanks under the Kalyani brand to reduce the cost of fertilizers for the farmers. Compost centres will be set up at different places in the city.
• Project in-charge of Rudrapur Green Energy Company Vikas Kumar said that the compressed biogas plant has been set up with the technique of build on, operate and transfer. The capacity of the project in the first phase is to produce dry and liquid organic fertilizers with compressed biogas using 20 tonnes of wet biodegradable waste per day. Soon the capacity of the plant will be to make CNG from 50 tonnes of wet waste.
• Biogas will be used for cooking and electricity generation. Compressed biogas will be used as fuel for transportation vehicles.