Grievances of Senior Citizens of Maharashtra.

To                                                                                                      Date: 22-8-10.


Shri Raosaheb Patil,

Hon. Home Minister of Maharashtra, Mantralaya, Mumbai-400032.



Dear Raosaheb,



Sub: Grievances of Senior Citizens.



We were happy to note from Newspapers that you are very keen to reach people and interact with them. You have joined Twitter & Face Book also for direct contact & inter action with citizens,. We are proud of your genuine interest in knowing problems of citizens. We, the Senior Citizens would like to have your help in respect of the following issues:-



1. As per Memorandum issued by Home Department under no. kra.STC-1998/667/pra.ka.36/pari.1 dt 25-10-2000, 50% concession in fares for traveling in MSRTC buses is given to all Senior Citizens of 65 years and above. It is experienced by Senior Citizens of Maharashtra as well as other States coming to Maharashtra that Conductors insist on production of Identity Card issued by State of Maharashtra and do not accept other Identity Cards issued by other States or Central Government Departments, PAN cards, Passports etc. Any photo-identity card issued by any Public Authority including local authorities should be sufficient to get this concession. We shall be grateful, if proper instructions with liberal provisions are got issued very early.

2. We would also request you to consider earmarking of more seats for Senior Citizens, as recently done by BEST and to give free or 90% concession to female Senior Citizens, especially widows and above 80 years. Present age limit of 65 for this concession may also be reduced to 60, as all Senior Citizens deserve similar treatment in view of less income after retirement.

3. As per State GR no. 2006/navi-20 dt 12-12-06, free treatment is to be given to all Senior Citizens in all Municipal Hospitals. All Hospitals, except 3 major Hospitals of Nair, KEM & Sion have given in writing that they are giving free treatment to all Senior Citizens. These 3 major Hospitals are defying the State Orders for last 4 years and do not give free treatment to any Senior Citizens nor giving any reply to representations. You may kindly use your good offices and help your Elders.

4. As per Notification in Extraordinary State Gazette dt 25-2-08, all Rickshaws & taxies were allowed to ply in entire MMRDA area but these orders are not yet implemented even after 2 years, resulting in Senior Citizens and all citizens have to walk with luggage/heavy school bags at all check nakas for change over from one side Rickshaws to other side Rickshaws. In Mira Road- Bhayander Area, Rickshaws are not running on meters and they charge exorbitant rates for even short distance e.g. from checknaka to Shrusti area- distance of less than 1.6 km, Rs 40 is charged. Kindly, use your good offices and get these genuine grievances solved.

5. In the recently notified Maintenance & Welfare of Parents & Senior Citizens Act in extraordinary Gazette dt 23-6-10, important provisions of the Central Act,2007 in respect of Medical Support for Senior Citizens (Section 20) and Transfer of property to be void in certain circumstances (Section 23) are omitted. These are very important provisions for Senior Citizens and may kindly be got added.

6. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Delhi has recently liberalized the Scheme of Integrated Programmes and laid down liberal grants for 16 Schemes for benefits of Senior Citizens. All local bodies are required to be instructed to provide these facilities in each Ward for benefit of Senior Citizens of their areas. As NGOs do not have any accommodation, they can not get such grants easily and as such Municipalities may be advised to provide these Schemes on programmed basis.

7. Out of almost 9 lakh Senior Citizens in Maharashtra, there are 3.33 lakhs BPL Senior Citizens but beneficiaries for Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension and Rashtriya Bima Yojna are very much less due to proper action not being taken by Revenue Department to classify them as BPL. Kindly get some instructions issued to Tehsildars and concerned officers to get this done early and properly.



Thanking You,