BHUBANESWAR: Senior citizens called upon the government to fulfil their long-pending demands including enhancement of old-age pension and inclusion of people in the age group of 60 to 69 under cashless healthcare benefits.
In a memorandum to the SSEPD department, the Federation of Senior Citizens Association of Odisha urged it to consider extending enhanced old age pension of Rs 3,000 to all poor and needy senior citizens below 80 years of age instead of restricting the benefit to select categories of 80 years and above people and those with over 80 per cent disabilities.
They also called for cashless treatment facilities to senior citizens in the 60-69 age group under state’s Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana as is being done for senior citizens over 70 years under Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana.
They also raised the issue of state council meeting, construction of Baristha Nagarik Bhawans in all district and block headquarters and increasing food grain allocation under state food security scheme to BPL senior citizens. Though the state council for senior citizens was constituted in February last year to review policies concerning the elderly, no meeting has taken place so far.
They have also requested formation of state commission for senior citizens considering the rising elderly population and their growing problems.