Concession to elders in Haryana Roadways buses

By Haryananewswire

CHANDIGARH, OCT 1

 Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today announced concession of 50 per cent in bus fare to elderly persons of the State above the age of 65 years in Haryana Roadways buses from January 1, 2014.

          Mr. Hooda was addressing a State Level Function for Elders organized on the occasion of International Day of the Elderly Persons at Karnal today. The elderly women above 60 years of age have already been availing this facility in the state.

          Mr. Hooda also announced to launch a programme for giving additional nutrition to the women above 50 years to remove the deficiency of calcium in them. He said that a new scheme would also be framed for maintaining the health of elders and freedom fighters.

Mr. Hooda announced that a new helpline number would be started to provide social security to the elders. He directed the Principal Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment Department Mr. P.K. Das to make this helpline number functional immediately. With the commencement of this number, the elderly people could seek assistance from the district administration.

          Mr. Hooda said that under the Old Age Pension scheme, 13.13 lakh elderly people in the State were being given annual pension of Rs. 1036 crore. While taking a dig at the previous INLD-BJP Government, Mr. Hooda said that in their entire tenure of six year from 1999 to 2005 only nine lakh people were given old age allowance at the rate of Rs. 200 per month whereas the present State Government has increased this amount to Rs. 500 and Rs. 750, he added.

Mr. Hooda said that he would further increase the amount of Old Age Pension soon. Comparing the pension to freedom fighters in the state with that of Gujarat, Mr. Hooda said that freedom fighters in Haryana were being given monthly pension of Rs. 20,000 whereas it is only Rs. 6000 in Gujarat.

          The Chief Minister said that for ensuring shelter, food and social security of elderly people, Old Age Homes were being set up at Hisar, Sonipat, Rohtak and Kaithal. Apart from this, Senior Citizen Clubs have been set up in 13 towns in the State. Mr. Hooda said that Haryana was the first State to implement the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. Under this Act, the rights of elders have been safeguarded and for this, Appellate Tribunal Officers have been appointed.

              Speaking on the occasion, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mrs. Geeta Bhukkal said that the Haryana Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda has implemented schemes for all sections of the society. Various welfare programmes have been launched especially for elderly people. She said that welfare schemes  could be framed on the basis of the experiences  and wisdom of the elders. Therefore, the State Government always welcomes their guidance in drafting policies, she added.

          Mrs. Bhukkal said that earlier, elders were accorded special place in joint families and this has always benefitted the society. She said that under the leadership of Mr. Hooda , the State Government has made a unique identity in honouring the elders and freedom fighters.

          Member of Parliament Dr. Arvind Sharma and MLA Karnal and Chairman, Haryana Warehousing Corporation Mrs. Sumita Singh also spoke on this occasion.

          Among other those who were present on this occasion included Political Advisor to Chief Minister Prof. Virender Singh, Mayor, Karnal Municipal Corporation Mrs. Renu Bala Gupta, former Minster Mrs. Prasani Devi, Mrs. Meena Mandal and Mrs. Shakuntala Bhagwadia, former MLA Mrs. Raj Rani Poonam, Bhim Sen Mehta and senior offices of district administration and other senior Congress leaders .