NEW DELHI, Nov 23:
Expressing that a society’s progress is measured by its attitude towards its senior citizens, BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan today said if his party is elected to power in Delhi, he would initiate steps to secure a life of dignity for the city’s senior citizens.
“The horrible social chaos that engulfs Delhi after 15 years of Sheila Dikshit’s rule is mirrored by much evidence. On the one hand our women cannot walk about with security. On the other, our senior citizens are tortured and killed at an unprecedented rate,” Dr Harsh Vardhan told reporters as a party of the BJP’s “Dus Din-Dus Irade-4”.
Dr Harsh Vardhan said there was a ‘direct’ relationship between rising property prices and the crime graph against old people.
The BJP leader said under Ms Dikshit’s misrule, ‘unscrupulous’ real estate agents were scouring Delhi’s neighbourhoods on the lookout for ‘joint ventures’ and they eliminate old people who stand in their way.
“Last year Delhi Police had announced a scheme to register senior citizens with the purported objective of giving them security,” Dr Harsh Vardhan said describing this measure as “another humiliation” for the aged people.
“Why should they be singled out for registration just like domestic helps and criminals? Besides, why not register the young men and women with old parents or dependents and ensure that they are tracked for the way they treat their seniors?” Dr Harsh Vardhan expressed.
Dr Harsha Vardhan said the BJP, after coming to power, would take several measures to ensure a life of dignity and security for Delhi’s senior citizens.
He said pension amount for senior citizens will be revised considering the inflationary pressure on Delhi’s citizens.
The former Health Minister said a separate, independent and non-political ‘Senior Citizens’ Grievances Redress Commission’ would be instituted under law with an annual budget of Rs 25 crore.
“Every police station area would have a branch of this commission- for large areas even two may be necessary. The Commission would comprise at its apex distinguished citizens without political affiliation. The Commission would have quasi -judicial powers in cases of abuse of the rights of senior citizens,” he said.
The BJP’s initiatives will include a scheduled bank for Delhi’s development which will have special savings schemes focused on senior citizens’ needs; health insurance for all Delhiites- special schemes for old (home visits for senior citizens who cannot visit hospitals); the concept of ‘Sunday Clinics’ exclusively for senior citizens in government hospitals; property registration for senior citizens to be made simpler and more transparent; concession on stamp duty for real estate properties registered in the name of senior citizens, he added.
Dr Harsh Vardhan said his government will also take initiative to ‘publicly shame’ children who abuse their parents out of greed or send them to old age homes without their consent. In Delhi’s schools, both government and private, ‘adopt a grandparent’ programme will be initiated as part of social work.
“Special courts will be established for speedy disposal of cases filed by senior citizens,” he added. (UNI)
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