Fight for hike in pensions : Oppn parties pledge support to Manda

Resolving to join the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) sponsored fight for the hike in pension amount to people in old age and widows, the opposition parties on Sunday pledged their support to the cause taken up by founder president of the organisation Manda Krishna Madiga. Participating in "Yudda Bheri "organized by MRPS here, TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu said Social justice should be ensured to eliminate poverty in the society. He announced that old age homes would be established in every assembly constituency providing shelter and food facility free of cost if his party came to power. He also said that pension amount would be increased to Rs 1000. Responding to several suggestions, he said aged people would also be given importance in the appointment of nominated posts at state and national level. He praised Krishna Madiga for his un-relented struggle for a social cause. Krishna Madiga said the struggle launched by him demanding the government to provide support for the heart surgeries for ailing children in 2004 gave a big relief to many families in the state. The then Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy launched Arogya Sri scheme and offered free health care by accepting his demand. BJP state president G Kishen Reddy asked Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy as to why the government was not responding to the two main demands-- increase in pension amount from Rs 500 to Rs 1000 and to cover all aged people and widows under the pension scheme. He said his party would also take part in the struggle and fight against the government on the demands. Union minister of state for Road Transport and National Highways S Satyanarayana said the demands put forth before the government were acceptable. He would bring the issue to the notice of AICC president Sonia Gandhi and the Chief Minister urging them to consider the demands on humanitarian grounds. TRS floor leader E Rajendar alleged that the government was sympathetic towards aged people and widows. Their lives have been worsened due to lack of social security. YSR Congress Party senior leader Gattu Ramachandra Rao said that it was the former Chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy who had increased pension amount from Rs 200 to Rs 500 and extended the scheme to over 70 lakh citizens.