Over 100 eminent people, including economists, politicians, social activists and representatives of civil society groups under the banner of Pension Parishad have urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop budget cuts in social sector.
"This comes in the wake of different reports that are emerging, revealing the Finance Minister's fiat to slash social sector budgets overruling the concerned departments' objections and sharp resistance," the Pension Parishad said in a press release.
The Parishad also enclosed two letters from Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh to the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister where he talks of "savage cuts" that would "severely jeopardize the implementation of these (flagship) programmes."
The Ministry of Rural Development has reportedly been asked to slash its budget by over Rs. 20,000 crores, the Parishad said.
"This degree of budget cuts in programmes for the poor is tantamount to human rights violations in these times of continued poverty and spiraling price rise. If there are unspent balances and savings, they should be used by the government to fulfill its commitments to the destitute elderly by enhancing and universalizing pensions," said activist Aruna Roy.
A delegation from the Pension Parishad also met Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar earlier in the day.
