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Senior Citizens
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restore the fare concessions offered to senior citizens by the railways. In a letter to the prime minister on Saturday last, he said the Centre has a budget of Rs 45 lakh crore and it would incur a cost of Rs 1600 crore if it extends the concession to senior citizens. Terming the amount as a drop in the ocean, he said the government will not become rich by not spending the amount. By stopping the facility a message was being given to senior citizens that the government did not care for them which was against the culture of the country, he said, adding that no person, society or country can progress without the blessings of the elderly. Delhi was seeing progress in all areas due to the blessings of the elderly for whom free pilgrimage of religious places has been arranged by his government, he said. The Centre had in 2020 discontinued the concessions granted to senior citizens to discourage the movement
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said senior citizens of the state will also have the option to travel by flights on pilgrimage from next month as part of a government scheme. He was speaking in Bhind on Sunday to mark the birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas and to launch the Chambal division 'vikas yatra'. "The birthplace of Sant Ravidas will also be included in this government pilgrimage scheme, known as Mukhyamantri Tirth-Darshan Yojana. We will also take senior citizens by flights for pilgrimage," Chouhan said. Under the 'Mukhyamantri Tirth Darshan Yojana', eligible senior citizens above 60 years of age can visit any of the listed pilgrimage places on government expenses. While addressing the gathering, Chouhan also said that Bhind, which has a municipal council at present, will be upgraded as a municipal corporation, and the city would also get a medical college. The 'vikas yatra' will go to all wards and villages in the state and provide benefits of ...
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday said senior citizens of the state will be sent for pilgrimage onboard flights as part of a government scheme from March. He was speaking in Bhind to mark the birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas and to launch the Chambal division 'vikas yatra'. "The birthplace of Sant Ravidas will also be included in this government pilgrimage scheme, known as Mukhyamantri Tirth-Darshan Yojana. We will also take senior citizens by flights for pilgrimage," he said. Under the 'Mukhyamantri Tirth Darshan Yojana', eligible senior citizens above 60 years of age can visit any of the listed pilgrimage places on government expenses. While addressing the gathering, Chouhan also said Bhind, which has a municipal council at present, will be upgraded to have a municipal corporation, and the city would also get a medical college. The 'vikas yatra' will go to all wards and provide benefits of government schemes to eligible people, while inauguration and
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday hinted that the concessions given to the senior citizens in the railways may not be restored as of now as he said that Rs 59,000 crore subsidy for the passenger services were given last year and pension and salary bills of the public transporter are very high. Vaishnaw was responding to a question by independent MP from Maharashtra Navneet Rana in Lok Sabha on when the concessions given to the senior citizens in train travel will be restored. It has been suspended since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The minister said the railways had given Rs 59,000 crore subsidy for passenger services, which is a big amount and larger than the annual budget of some states. He said the annual pension bill of the railways is Rs 60,000 crore, the salary bill is Rs 97,000 crore while Rs 40,000 crore is being spent on fuel. We have given Rs 59,000 passenger subsidy last year, new facilities are coming. If new decisions are to be taken, we will
Tata Group-owned full-service carrier Air India has reduced by half the discount offered on basic fares to senior citizens and students in the economy class on its flights, according to its website. The revised discount on basic fares is effective from September 29. Tata Group took control of the loss-making Air India from the government on January 27, this year. "... (under senior citizen and student concession) for tickets issued on/after 29th September 2022, 25 per cent (discount) of basic fare will be applicable on select booking classes in economy cabin," as per the website. Air India earlier was offering 50 per cent discount on select booking classes in economy cabins of its aircraft to these two categories of travellers, according to the website. Separately, in a circular dated September 28, the airline said "it has been decided to revise the concessionary fares with effect from 29th September 2022. The changes are applicable for tickets issued on/after 29th September ...