Senior citizens for concession in bus fares on women's pattern,
Tribune News Service
Karnal, November 2
The Senior Citizens Council Haryana (SCCH) yesterday demanded 50 per cent concession in Haryana Roadways buses for men also and said the government was discriminating between men and women senior citizens by allowing the facility only to women.
The council, with representation in 20 districts in the state, also expressed its resentment over the non-implementation of the "Maintenance of Parents Act 2007" and said that the said Act was passed and notified in 2007, but no tribunal has so far been formed in any district.
The council members were peeved that several demands made by them in the past had not even been acknowledged and there was no response from the authorities concerned. A letter was also sent to the Health Minister, Rao Narender Singh, demanding cashless treatment of Haryana pensioners on the pattern of the Central Government where the credit base facility is available, coordinator of the council JR Kalra said.
The members also requested the Health Minister to set up a CGH dispensary in Sonepat on the pattern of Gurgaon and Faridabad as this facility was necessary in view of the increasing day-to-day illnesses and long-term diseases among senior citizens.
The council complained that even after the government had provided the funds and various provisions to help the old, senior citizens were suffering due to an "insensitive and non-responsive" attitude of the authorities.
Kalra said that exclusive police helplines to assist the senior citizens in case of an emergency were non-existent in most of the districts.
