Dehradun, Feb. 12 -- The state cabinet chaired by chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday approved the payment of minimum wages to remaining daily wage workers employed in the forest department to provide financial security and improve the working conditions of labourers engaged in critical forest-related activities, officials aware of the matter said. According to officials, out of 893 daily wage workers employed in the forest department, 304 were already under the scheme's ambit. And now, the remaining 589 workers will also receive a minimum monthly payment of Rs.18,000. The move, officials said, would help address wage disparity and boost morale among forest workers, many of whom have been serving the department for years on a daily wage basis. In another decision, the cabinet approved the creation of a separate organisational structure for the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) to strengthen the state's campaign against drug abuse and illegal trafficking. The ANTF was constituted in 2022 and till now has been functioning with personnel taken on deputation from the police department. For the first time, 22 posts have been sanctioned at the state headquarters for the ANTF. These include one deputy superintendent of police (DSP), two drug inspectors, one inspector, two sub-inspectors, four head constables, eight constables and two constable drivers. Officials said the move would enhance the operational capacity of the task force and ensure focused action against drug networks operating in the state. The cabinet also approved promulgation of the Uttarakhand Employees' State Insurance Scheme, Labour Medical Service Rules, 2026, laying down service conditions for medical officers and senior posts under the ESI scheme. Under the new rules, a total of 94 posts have been created, including 76 medical officers, 11 assistant directors, six joint directors and one additional director. Earlier, the ESI structure comprised only one chief medical officer and 13 medical officer posts. Officials said the expansion of the cadre would help improve healthcare services for insured workers and strengthen institutional capacity. In a move aimed at supporting small entrepreneurs, the cabinet decided to extend the implementation period of the Chief Minister's Micro Food Enterprise Upgradation Scheme till the financial year 2025-26. The decision aligns with the one-year extension granted by the Centre to the Pradhan Mantri Micro Food Enterprise Upgradation Scheme, a centrally sponsored programme under the ministry of food processing industries, which will now continue till March 31, 2026. The state government also decided that any future extension of the central scheme would automatically apply to the state scheme as well. The cabinet also approved the introduction of the Uttarakhand Prisons and Correctional Services (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in the upcoming session of the legislative assembly. According to officials, the amendment is aimed at aligning the definition of "habitual offenders" in prison rules with existing state laws, in compliance with directions issued by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the cabinet decided to withdraw the Payment of Bonus (Uttarakhand Amendment) Bill, 2020, which had been introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to provide relief to industries. Officials said the bill could not be taken forward due to objections raised by the Union ministry of labour and employment....