the goan I network
PANAJI
RTI activist Rajan Ghate has written to the Chief Minister on Wednesday suggesting that necessary budgetary provisions be made in the upcoming State Budget for the upliftment of senior citizens in Goa, specifically for a commission for senior citizens. His request comes in the backdrop of the government unwilling to run even the existing commissions in the State, which were constituted by law i.e. the Human Rights Commission and Women’s Commission.
Ghate feels that providing for the setting up of a ‘Commission for Senior Citizens’ in Goa, will enable the immediate addressing of day to day urgent issues of the elderly class of people. These include issues like harassment, assaults, non-providing of maintenance to them, and to ensure the effective implementation of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 and the Rules there of.
Ghate is a National Awardee of Right To Information and has been directly involved in various activities relating to Senior Citizens, such as, holding awareness programmes on Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, for senior citizens at various places in Goa, as also in providing direct assistance to them in resolving their personal problems at the ground level. In the course of his discussions with senior citizens in Goa, Ghate said that on various occasions, they complained about their various needs, and expected the government to take up their issues on an urgent basis, to enable them to lead a peaceful life.
“We had been repeatedly bringing to the knowledge of the government, about their demands. We therefore, list out a few of their urgent demands, as under that needs to be provided for, in the forthcoming Budget 2020,” Ghate said.
Ghate also asked that a 50% concession be granted to senior citizens in Goa, in the bus fare, for interstate travels including travel to the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka, in Kadamba Transport Corporations (KTC) buses.
He also asked that the government provide for maintaining district-wise police stations for senior citizens, for handling criminal cases.
