U'khand govt announces sops for common man

Announcing a slew of sops for the common man, Uttarakhand government has decided to waive off 'Mandi tax' from 49 fruits and vegetables and grant an additional compensation of Rs 75,000 for people rendered homeless by the June calamity.
The decision to slash the 'Mandi' tax will lead to a drop of six to eight per cent in the prices of those essentials, State Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat said.
Steps are underway to facilitate waiver of 'Mandi' tax from a list of 49 fruits and vegetables which will give major relief to the common man from spiralling prices, he said.

Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna gave his nod to the move yesterday after a recommendation from Rawat.
The government has also decided to give an additional Rs 75,000 to people rendered homeless by the June calamity apart from Rs 7 lakh currently being given to them as compensation.
Official sources said the amount used to be given to BPL families earlier under the Indira Awas Yojana but now it has been added to the Rs 7 lakh being given as compensation to people who lost their homes in the June tragedy.
The state government has decided to provide Rs 5,000 to each family in the affected areas from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help them buy woollen clothes.

It has also decided to provide an additional Rs 13 crore from the CM's Relief Fund for the worst-hit Rudraprayag district, which accounted for the maximum number of casualties.