Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 8: A delegation led by Rajinder Sharma, Mayor, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) called on Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhawan, today.
The delegation comprising of Baldev Singh Billawaria, Deputy Mayor JMC, Chairmen of JMC Committees and councilors apprised the Lt Governor on various issues of public importance pertaining to extension of benefits under pension and other welfare schemes.
The Lt Governor assured the delegation of due consideration of the issues projected by them during the interaction.
The delegation demanded removal of complicacies for physically challenged persons, widows and old age persons in getting pension.
Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria, Chairmen of JMC Standing Committees-Subash Sharma and Arun Khanna, councilors, Surjeet Chowdhary, Jaideep Sharma, Kapil Chib, Ashok Manhas and Anil Kumar also accompanied the Mayor.
The Mayor brought miserable condition of widows, old age people and physically challenged persons into the notice of LG and said that the Social Welfare Department has now made the documentation process for pension very tough.
“Suppose if there are two brothers in a singly ration card-one poor and the other well off and their bifurcation of Ration Card is not being done then how the poor one can get the pension,” Sharma said adding, “Similarly, how a widow from middle class family having children can survive if she has no PHH Ration Card which the authorities concerned have now made a precondition for getting pension.”
He further said that PHH Ration Card is not being issued on the conditions written in the form itself.
He further said as per data in the last two months DC Jammu has only made 70 PHH ration cards while the persons in need of pension are one lakh twenty thousand.
“When such is a pace it will take a lot of time while there are 26,000 pension cases only in JMC jurisdiction,” Mayor Sharma continued.
He said that there are chances that some needy people may die in wait for pension and some old age people who are bedridden are not able to move out for visiting offices to get the PHH Ration Card.
“When many old people do not know how to read and write, how can they fill such documentary formalities,” Sharma said.
The Mayor requested the LG that this being a burning issue needs immediate redressal.
Mayor said LG issued on spot instructions to the Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Sheetal Nanda and asked her to talk to come up with solution of the issue by Tuesday on priority basis so that the poor and needy people may not suffer anymore
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