Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 16: A meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Pensioners and Senior Citizens Welfare Society was held here, today in which grave concern was expressed over rising prices.
The meeting said that in the current back-breaking inflation, it has become difficult for a middle class to survive, the prices of food items, medicine and construction material has skyrocketed. Due to the increase in the price of petrol and diesel, the cost of all the necessities of life has increased and the poor people are in trouble, especially the senior citizens and pensioners are facing difficulties.
The meeting demanded Medical Allowance at the Central level be given to UT pensioners and employees. Every pensioner has to pay from Rs 3000 to 4000 per month for purchase of medicines. Doctors’ are also charging exorbitant fee and the body tests also cost a lot. In view of it Rs 3000 be given as Medical Allowance per month, it demanded.
The meeting also demanded allowance of previous 18 months should be paid. Additional allowance should be paid from the age of 65 years instead of 80 years like other states. In connection with the Golden Card, the management of some hospitals are refusing to entertain the card and they must be issued directives to entertain the card.
It demanded regularisation of daily wagers, casual workers, Angan Wadi workers and other temporary workers and daily wage be paid Rs 650 per day. President of the Society Mir Ghulam Rasool Batwinee, secretary, Dwarika Nath Sadhu, president Jammu province, Baldev Raj Sharma, Pran Nath Raina and Ghulam Nabi Prangi vice presidents of UT , Abdul Rehman Pandith from Pulwama, Abdul Hameed Lone, Muhammad Sultan Mir also participated.