A delegation led by activist Arun Roy along with several others from the Pension Parishad today met UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for raising their pension from current paltry amount of Rs 200 per month.
A press release issued by Pension Parishad said that the delegation reiterated their demands for the enhancement and universalisation of social security pensions and raising the monthly pension amount from the current sum of Rs 200.
They also strongly opposed the budget cuts in the social sector.
The delegation said that if there were any unspent Rural Development balances, it could be used for meeting government commitments previously made on old age pensions, the release said, adding that the meeting with Gandhi lasted little over half-an-hour.
Apart from Roy, Baba Adhav, Nikhil Dey, Poornima Chikarmane, Kamayani Swamy from Bihar and Gyarsi Bai from Rajasthan also met Sonia Gandhi, it said.
The delegation discussed the status of the MGNREGA and the dramatic effect of the recently initiated 'Kam Mago Abhiyan' and how thousands of people in several states have responded to the government's call by applying for it and demanding work under the MGNREGA, it said.
According to the release, Gandhi listened to them sympathetically and accepted the fact that budget cuts would be very damaging to the poor and the programmes meant for them.
The Congress leader was also sympathetic to the plight of the elderly poor and claimed to look into the matter to see what could be done, it said.
Baba Aadhav and Aruna Roy reminded Gandhi that this was the sixth time they were assembling in Delhi during a Parliament Session and had already met her before.
They said the dharna which began on the November 26 and enters its 19th day tomorrow will continue at Jantar Mantar.
Pension Parishad, a coalition of nearly 150 civil society organisations, has been sitting on dharna here to "demand immediate establishment of a Universal and Non Contributory Old Age Pension System with a minimum, dignified monthly pension of not less than 50 per cent of the minimum Pensionage or Rs 2000 per month, whichever is higher".
