By Regd A.D.
M.V.Ruparelia. Senior Citizen of 82 years. A503 Rashmi Utsav, Near
Jangid Estate & Vijay Park, Mira Road (E). 401107. M. 9821732855. E/Mail: mvrup@yahoo.co.in
To Mumbai.
Date 8-5-15.
The Registrar General,
Bombay High Court, Fort, Mumbai-400032.
Respected Hon Chief Justice Of Maharashtra,
Sub: Indifferent Attitude & Highhandedness of Government of
Maharashtra towards Elders of Maharashtra.
Ref: Your letters to the Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice
& Special Assistance Department, Government of Maharashtra and copy to me under
your no. Y.5301 (iii/13)1582/2013 dt
31-12-13 and Reminder I no. Y5301 (i/14)360/2014 dt 25-3-14 and further
Communication in Sept, 14 in response to my letter dt 18-8-14.
I am 82 years suffering from incurable lung disease called IPF
having lot of breathlessness on walking even 2-3 steps. We are thankful for your above directives to
State Government but regret to inform that no reply is received so far even
after 19 months of our representation dt 17-10-13 to Chief Minister of Maharashtra, followed by
reminders and representations of our Joint
Action Committee of 37 Organizations of Senior Citizens of Maharashtra under their letter
no. 121-127/14 dt 7-10-13, 8-6-14 and 28-6-14 to rectify this anamoly of
definition of Senior Citizen and to take action on various provisions of the
State Policy declared on 30-9-13 and to give them opportunity to discuss
various matters. Neither any reply is being given nor is meeting being fixed
for discussion. Meeting fixed on was a fiasco, as no concerned officers
from various departments attended the Meeting.
- The
condition of 1.39 crore (60+ as per latest voters list of Maharashtra
published on 31-7-14) Elders of Maharashtra is perhaps the worst in the
entire country in this Most Rich & Advanced State. Maharashtra
Government adopted National Policy of Older Persons, 99 (NPOP, 99) after
15 years on 30-9-13, after continuous chasing by our associations and individuals,
which was depriving 1.39 crores of Elders of various facilities and
concessions provided in Policy, 99. Worst thing the State did was to
declare citizens of 65+ as Senior Citizens in Maharashtra against 60+ in
the entire Country,
depriving 35% of 1.39 crore Senior Citizens of Maharashtra from various
concessions & facilities, they were getting till 30-9-13 as reported
by Times of India in their Newspaper dt 1-10-13 without giving them opportunity to represent
or heard.
- National Policy,
99 considers 60+ as senior citizens. THE MAINTENANCE AND WELFARE OF PARENTS AND SENIOR CITIZENS ACT,
2007-No. 56 OF 2007-[29th
December, 2007] in Chapter
1- 2 – Definitions- defines senior
citizen as under statutorily for the entire Country:
H:
"senior citizen" means any person being a citizen of India, who has
attained the age of sixty years or above.
Standing
Committee on Social Justice(2013-14) (15th Lok Sabha) in para 23 of their
39th Report have laid stress on this aspect and have desired that
all Authorities must adopt uniform criteria for the definition of senior
citizens and give due concessions/facilities as per definition.
Thus,
Maharashtra Govt is going against laid down Law of the Country viz THE MAINTENANCE AND WELFARE OF PARENTS AND
SENIOR CITIZENS ACT, 2007-No.
56 OF 2007-[29th December, 2007] and all directives of Cabinet in NPOP, 99 and
Parliamentary Committee.
- Even after
adopting some provisions of National Policy, 99 on 30-9-13, no action is
being taken to implement any of the accepted and notified provisions, even
after 20 full months!! Under our
letter dt 22-6-14 to Shri G G Alhatji, Up-Sachiv (Coordination), Ministry
of Social Justice & Vishesh
Sahaya, Government of Maharashtra, Mantralaya, Mumbai-400032, we suggested
to issue instructions for various provisions, where no funds are required
but only outside stake holders have to be told to take actions as per
State Policy. No action is being taken.
- Apart
from non-implementation of the declared Policy, even representations for
various important matters to this Ministry for information or action are
just not replied. We must have sent about 100 representations/suggestions
and copies of facilities etc given by other States for similar action
through Registered letters, Ordinary letters and E/Mails but none are
replied. We brought this to the notice of Chief Minister under our letter
dt 26-5-14 giving a list of only 15 important representations not replied
by Ministry of Social Justice and Vishesh Sahaya stating that as
per Chapter 3, Rule 10 of Government
Servants Regulation of
Transfers and Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act (Act
21 of 2006), no file can remain pending with a Government servant for more
than 7 working days (about ten days) and the final decision on any file
should be taken in less than 90 days but in these cases no reply is being
given even after this statutory limit.
- THE MAINTENANCE AND WELFARE OF PARENTS AND
SENIOR CITIZENS ACT, 2007 was adopted by Maharashtra State on 23-6-10 and
notified in Extra Ordinary Gazeette no. 86. According to Sec 21 of these
Rules, 2010, the State was to establish State Council of Senior Citizens
to advise the State on effective implementation of the Act etc.Similar
Council was necessary asper National Policy, 99. Even after 4 years of
laying down the formation of such Council statutorily and District
Committees of Senior Citizens and Volunteers` Committees of Senior
Citizens at each Police Station (Sec 20), no action is taken to form any
Negotiating achinery for Senior Citizens and requests for Meetings by our
Organizations are denied.
- Senior
Citizens and their Associations of Maharashtra are not able to get
anything done by this Ministry, inspite of repeated ``Protest Day`` and
demonstrations in Azad Maidan for last several years on 16th August
for several years. They do not know to whom to approach. In Federal
Democracy, representations to President, Prime Minister, Governors and
Chief Ministers are just forwarded and forgotten. Associations do not have
finance or willingness to enter in to legal fights with Authorities due to
fear of being blacklisted etc. I or many of other social workers or office
bearers do not need any concessions/facilities but want to help needy
senior citizens. Overcrowded suburban trains discourage them to come to
High Court etc. At 82, I am not mobile due to incurable IPF etc and to
come to High Court with PIL etc from Mira Road! We, therefor come to you
through this letter for helping 1.39 crore Elders of Maharashtra.
Thanking
you,
Yours
Sincerely,
(M.V.Ruparelia)
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