M.V.Ruparelia,
A503 Rashmi Utsav, Near Jangid Estate & Vijay Park,
Mira Road (East),
Dist. Thane. 401 107. M. 09821732855.
E/Mail: mvrup@yahoo.co.in
To
Date: 21-10-12.
Shri R.A.Rajiv, Municipal
Commissioner, Thane Mahanagar Palika,
Mahanagar Palika Bhawan,
Chandan Wadi, Pachpakhadi, Thane-400602.
Dear Sir,
Sub: Creating Respect for Our
Elders in the Society.
1. As You may be aware, very recently, BMC announced the
Policy for 12 lakh Senior Citizens of Mumbai in a function attended by more
than 2000 Senior Citizens at Prabodhan Thakre Auditorium on International Day
of Older Persons on 1-10-12. Main emphasis in this Policy is provision of
minimum 500 sq foot Day Care Centres in each Ward with various facilities for
Senior Citizens and Help Desk for Senior Citizens in each Municipal Hospital
etc.
2. Government of India had announced National Policy on
Older Persons, 1999 on 13-2-99 with the approval of Cabinet. This document is a
masterpiece containing all aspects of Elders` life. Para 97 lays down that Local Bodies like Panchayats etc
will be encouraged to participate in implementation of this Policy, address
local level issues and needs of Elders and implement various programmes for
them. They will provide Forums for discussing concerns of Elders &
activities required to be provided. In para 54, it is laid down that Civic
Authorities & Bodies providing Public Utilities will be required to give
priority to attending to representations/complaints of Elders. Payment of Civic
Dues will be facilitated. Elders will be given special considerations in
promptly dealing with matters relating to transfer of property, mutation,
property tax & other matters, harassments & abuses in such cases will
be checked. Working Group on ``Social Welfare``(October, 2011) for XIIth
Five Year Plan has laid down that all Local Bodies like Panchayati Raj
Institutions must come forward & take advantage of financial assistance for
various projects under the Scheme of Integrated Programme and provide Day Care
Centre etc as per 16 schemes of Integrated Programme of Ministry of Social
Justice, Delhi for your 2 lakh elders in Thane City.Each Local Body must
earmark at least 5% fund from their untied funds for welfare activities of
senior citizens. Every Local Body must play a lead role in disbursement of
various welfare programmes/schemes for senior citizens. They should create
Single Window for all benefits to senior citizens. They should provide
Recreation Facilities like Community Centres with television, library, yoga
centre etc. They should actively initiate awareness generation & sensitization
programme regarding need for well being, safety & rights of senior citizens
in schools & colleges. Similarly in Urban Areas, Municipalities and
Corporations need to play a key role in disbursement of benefits & earmark
5% of funds for welfare of senior citizens. We enclose a Note indicating what
some of the other Municipalities in the Country are doing and what each
Municipality should do for their Elders.
3.
Senior Citizens
of Thane/Mumbai are facing lot of problems in travelling from one place to
another for medical treatment, visiting religious places, relatives, attending
meetings, seminars arranged by their associations/NGOs/Government etc. TMT, an
undertaking of TMC is providing good service to all Mumbaikars of the areas,
TMT is serving. Senior Citizens are also required to be looked after well by
providing more reserved seats, as done by BEST, which provides 5 reserved seats
against 2 by TMT Conductors are generally polite but some do not behave with
respect with elders. Most do not help Elders in getting the seats reserved for
them vacated by others. Some special training to staff for giving proper
respect and change in Rules/Law to force the other passenger to vacate the
reserved seat by conductors may be necessary. It may also be good, if some slogans for
creating respect of Elders are broadcasted at some intervals in TV Screens
provided in Buses. Good treatment to Elders by TMT will go a long way to increase
their wellbeing and it will also create good impression of TMT employees in
Society and all citizens also will be encouraged to respect their elders.
4.
National
Policy, 99 also lays down that elders will be given fare concessions in all
modes of travel, preference in reservation of seats, modification in design of
public vehicles for entry & exit etc. Air Ways, Railways, ST buses, NMMT
& MBMT corporations are giving fare concessions to the extent of 75%
(NMMT), 50/40% (Railways), (50%) Airways, 40% (MBMT), although they are all
running in loss but to give and create in Society respect of Senior Citizens
and in view of Government Policy.
5.
We shall be grateful, if whole issue of
providing various facilities to senior Citizens, as brought out above is
considered sympathetically, swiftly and sincerely and they are treated as respected
Citizens requiring strengthening of their legitimate place in the Society and
to take all actions to help them to live their last phase of life with Purpose,
Dignity and Peace. We hope that You will take immediate action and give various
facilities to 2 lakh Senior Citizens of Thane very early.
With Blessings & Best Wishes,
Yours Sincerely,
(M.V.Ruparelia)
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