Pawan Bansal, Congress candidate today said if Congress comes to power, the party would come out with a policy which ensures minimum of Rs 2000 as pension for those below a certain income group. Advocating the need for more old age homes, Mr. Bansal also said social security is important for the elderly who face difficulties once they are retired.
While speaking at a function organised by Chandigarh Senior Citizens Association in Sector 21 community centre here today, Mr. Bansal said, “I am myself a senior citizen now and feel there’s a lot which needs to be done for the community which has contributed a lot for the development in some way or the other in the society.”
He said there is a large population in our country which is between 60 to 80 years of age and in all 12 percent of the total population is that of the elderly. “It’s unfortunate to see they face an uncertain future as far as emotional, physical and economic security is concerned”, Mr. Bansal added.
Mr. Bansal said he had always made efforts as Chandigarh MP and also as union minister to bring policies for the senior citizens and also for their safety. “One can know about the issues by being here in the city which I have been able to as I have represented the city for the last 15 years. He said other parties had fielded candidates who were outsiders and were unaware of the issues.”
He said the latest provision in the Congress manifesto provides for health security which will go a long way in providing affordable health care to the elderly, in which all pensioners would be included. Referring to a scheme of reverse mortgage Mr. Bansal said it could not take off though it provided security to the elderly. Mr. D.S. Grewal president of the Chandigarh Senior Citizens Association also spoke on the occasion and said Mr. Bansal had always done a lot for the betterment of the senior citizens and extended full support to him.
LIC and GIC Employees Union met Mr. Bansal and gave him a charter of demands, which included there should be no privatization. Mr. Bansal said once elected to power he would meet them and discuss their demands. Among prominent present there included Rajeev Sehgal, Brig Lal, Yash Pal, JP Sharma, Kulbhushan Sharma.
Another get-together of the senior citizens was kept in Sector 23 this morning. It had been organised by Residents Welfare Association.
In the morning Mr. Bansal got a rousing welcome in Sector 47 C and D where he carried out Padyatra and went campaigning door to door in sectors 32, 46 and 47 where he was accompanied by former mayor Ravinder Singh Pali. Bansal was welcomed by shopkeepers and slogans were shouted in his favour.
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