SWD to consider pension cases brought forth by JMC Councillors: Jammu Mayor

Sharma resolves pension issue of widows, old age, physically challenged persons

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: The Mayor of Jammu city, Rajinder Sharma along with his team announced that the elected Councillors Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) shall now choose the beneficiaries for pensions to widows, old age and physically challenged persons.
In a jam-packed press conference at his office chamber the Mayor said there were many problems being faced by the widows, old age and physically challenged persons in getting pensions as the Social Welfare Department has made Priority House Hold (PHH) Ration Card as the necessary requirement for these pensions while there were many problems in getting PHH Ration Card.
“Not only this, those who were already drawing pensions in these categories had their pensions stopped by the concerned department,” Sharma said adding: “This included many elders above 65 and many of these were bedridden while many others had no support from anyone and these people were facing many problems in documentation to get pension.”
The Mayor further said, also there were physically handicapped persons who too faced documentation problems for pension while widows having a house didn’t had PHH Ration Card and they were also facing similar problem.
“Apart from these there were many people from well off families but their sons were not helping them and such people were facing problems as their Ration Card bifurcation was not being done,” Mayor Sharma continued.
He further said that keeping the burning public issue in mind a high level delegation of the Urban Local Body led by him (Mayor) and having members Deputy Mayor, Baldev Singh Billawaria; Chairmen of two of the JMC Standing Committees-Subash Sharma and Arun Khanna; Councillors-Surjeet Chowdhary, Jaideep Sharma, Kapil Chib, Ashok Manhas and Anil Kumar met the Lieutenant Governor of J&K UT in Srinagar.
“The LG in turn took a strict note of the problem and issued on spot directions that all the pension issues highlighted by the Mayor should be resolved within two days positively,” the Mayor maintained adding: “In this regard we also met Administrative Secretary of SWD and he said that only the pension beneficiaries brought forth by JMC Councilors should be considered and for the problem of documentation some via media shall be looked for.
It is pertinent to mention here that the LG had commended the Mayor for his revolutionary leadership and public friendly attitude and hoped that the Mayor shall further continue to raise public issues.