Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, June 20: Hundreds of pensioners staged dharna at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Park in the town to lay stress on the State Government to arrest price rise, expedite the implementation of 7th Central Pay Commission’s recommendations on Central pattern in Jammu and Kashmir State besides enhancing Medical Allowance to at least Rs 1000 per month.
Balak Ram Sharma, district president of J&K State Pensioners Association presided over the dharna which was addressed by Kabla Singh Kathua president of Low Paid Employees Federation, Isher Dass Sangra president LPEF Billawar, Bhagwan Das cashier of LPEF Hiranagar, Anil Verma, Pushap Raj, Amar Nath, Lok Nath and Saleem Ahmed who said that employees and pensioners in the State are also facing acute financial hardships due to rising prices of essential commodities and need immediate relief and respite.
Kabla Singh and other speakers also demanded restoration of commuted pension after 12 instead of 15 years, extend benefit of national revision of pension from 1996 who retired during the period from January 1996 to February 2003 from the posts upgraded notionally from January 2016 and monetarily from 19-2-2003 as those who retired after 2003 or are still serving have been provided the benefit of upgradation and pay DA arrears for the period from January to June2009 to pre-pensioners as those who retired after 2006 or are still serving have been paid the same.
At the culmination of dharna they took out a procession to the officeof the DC Kathua and a deputation led by Kabla Singh and Balak Ram Sharma and others presented a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister to the Distrrict Development Commisioner Kathua. The DDC gave a patient hearing and assured speedy action thereon.
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