Welfare of 1.2 crore Senior Citizens of Maharashtra.

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. 25-12-12.

Shri Prithviraj Chavan, Chief Minister, Government of Maharashtra, Mantralaya, Mumbai-400032.

Respected Sir,

Sub: Welfare of 1.2 crore Senior Citizens of Maharashtra.

Heartiest Greetings for Merry Charismas & Happy and Prosperous New Year 2013 to You and the entire State Officials for  maintaining the Status of Most Progressive and Most Advanced State of the Country in coming years also. You will appreciate that 1.2 crore Senior Citizens of our State have also contributed their might in bringing this Status.

You had promised on 1^st October, 2012 at Pune that State Policy for Elders of the State will be declared by Diwali but this has not been done due to perhaps unavoidable reasons for last 14 years!! Non-declaration of Policy by State should not deprive 1.2 crore Maharashtrian Elders of various provisions of NPOP, 99 and other directives of Government of India from time to time, as welfare of Elders has to be done by State, whether State Policy on the basis of NPOP,99 exists or not. State has already declared Part I of State Policy on 14-6-04 and can/should declare IInd Part for non-controversial matters, so that 1.2 crore Senior Citizens of Maharashtra are not deprived of all Provisions of NPOP, 99 notified by Government of India in 1999 for welfare of Elders of the Country. Here, even simple directive is not being issued by State, though repeated by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Delhi to ``issue instructions for its (International Day of Older Persons-IDOP) observance in a befitting manner at the State, District & Block Levels on 1<sup>st</sup> October.......Needless to say, these programmes should be organized with active involvement of Senior Citizens themselves, Panchayati Raj, Municipal Bodies, Nehru Yuvak Kendras, educational institutes (including their NSS units) and NGOs, especially those working for Senior Citizens.``Such instructions are repeated every year. We enclose D.O. no. 15-39(12)/09-10/AGii dt 3-9-10 from Shri K M Acharya, the then Secretary (Welfare) to our Chief Secretary, readily available with us for ready reference. We requested our Principal Secretary, Social Justice under our letter dt 30-12-10(copy enclosed) along with this directive dt 3-9-10 from Delhi followed by large number of reminders letters to Shri Sachin Ahir, State Minister on 23-5-11, to Shri Prithviraj Chavan, Chief Minister on 14-6-11 (copy enclosed) ,14-8-11, 27-10-11, 11-1-12, 4-3-12, 14-5-12 & 4-9-12 but no reply is given till date to any of these letters even addressed to you by name to take action on certain items even without waiting for declaration of State Policy but no action is taken by our Ministry of Social Justice, which just does not function and does not give any reply to any letters from Senior Citizens or their associations!! We took up this particular matter of not issuing instructions through RTI Application dt 14-4-11, Ist Appeal dt 20-5-11 also but no one replied. On hearing of IInd Appeal dt 7-7-11 on 9-11-12, State Information Commissioner observed that Shri Sanjay Gurekar, Public Information Officer has failed miserably in this and should give the required information before 30-11-12. Without reading the Application, he has sent almost 700 pages about State Policy, 2004 not asked  in this Application. He has also sent copy of letter dt 22-11-12 in reply to our letter dt 30-12-10 for  the following 6 items of not issuing instructions, saying that instructions will be issued only after State Policy is declared( may be after 100 years!!). He has not obtained any written orders from competent authority to defy the orders of Government of India for issuing instructions!! Earlier also Shri Vilas Patil in his Speaking Orders dt 11-7-11 in Appeal no. 6852/02 had passed strictures against this Ministry and even after our letters dt 30-8-11, 28-10-11,5-12-11,11-1-12, 8-2-12, 3-3-12, 26-3-12, 11-5-12,15-6-12, 21-7-12 and 4-9-12 to SIC with copy to Ministry of Social Justice for that appeal, but not a single letter is replied till date. We shall be thankful, if you look into this very sorry state of affairs in Ministry of Social Justice of not reading and replying any representations from Senior Citizens & their organizations and nominate some pro-elder competent higher level officer as Nodal Officer, as requested in our letter dt 14-6-11, taking action on various other points brought out therein. No action is taken to set up State Council & District Committees, though laid down in Rule 21 & 22 of Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Rules, 2010 having been notified on 23-6-10, even after 2 ½ years!! There is no initiative to do anything!!  

      i) Observing International Day of Senior Citizens-  1st October
ii) World Elder Abuse Awareness Day- 15 th June
iii) World Alzheirness Day-21st September
iv) Giving Vayoshreshtha Sanman awards at State & District/Municipal Level & inviting applications for Delhi level.
v) Inviting Applications every year, notifying dates for Applications etc
for Integrated Programme in the State
vi) Involving Panchayati Raj Institutions & Municipalities in welfare of
Senior Citizens.
vii)      Instructions for welfare of senior citizens etc to Media; Trusts;
Charitable Hospitals; State & Municipal Hospitals; NGOs; Civic Authorities
etc as per various paras of NPOP, 99.
viii)  Copy of latest Annual Report of work done in the State for Elders,
as laid down in NPOP, 99

We shall be thankful, if proper instructions are got issued for these items and other matters and regular negotiating machinery is established with our Associations & prominent senior citizens to implement various policies early in Maharashtra.

A line in reply in terms of para 66 of Office Manual will be very much appreciated.

Encl: 3.

Thanking You,

Yours Sincerely

(M.V.Ruparelia)